Winx Club Rewrite 2: Shadow of the Phoenix
by ArachCobra
Summary: After last year's conflict, Bloom looked forward to getting back to Alfea and experiencing a normal year at the school for fairies. However, any normalcy was shattered when the princess Aisha stumbled into Alfea, bringing with her tales of a villanous being that had risen in the darkest reaches of Underland.
1. Back to School

Winx Club Rewrite 2: Shadow of the Phoenix

_AN: Here we go, rewriting season 2. I hope you will enjoy it, though fair warning, we have changed things(Probably not a surprise) up a bit and have engaged in creating composite characters. Also, for those who remember talk of a Q&A video at the end of the last story, it should be up now._

Chapter 1: Back to School

It was a bright and sunny day on the planet Harmony, with nary a cloud to be seen. Lush green hills, beautiful rows of trees and great fields of flowers surrounded the Sunny Soul Clinic for Health, a big, aesthetically pleasing white building. A bus slowly floated up the road to the clinic and halted outside at the bus stop. Moments later, a brunette and a black haired girl stepped out.

"Well, this place looks pleasant," Flora commented as the two of them crossed the parking lot. "Then again, so does every other place around here".

"One of the many benefits of living here," Musa said.

The two of them entered the reception room. It was decorated with pleasant pictures of countryside areas and flowing bushes had been painted on the walls. A great disk stood in the middle, behind which a man in white was typing on his computer. He looked up and asked: "Hello, welcome to Sunny Soul. How can I help you?"

"My name is Flora Canto and this is Musa Xenophon," Flora stated. "We are here for Bloom Peterson".

"Ah yes, I can see you have been scheduled," the man noted as he studied the computer. "Very well, it's on the third floor, room 7-C".

"Thanks," the two girls said as they headed for the elevator. Moments later, they exited on the third floor, which was decorated with pictures of smiling people and garden parties.

"They go for a very calm atmosphere," Flora noted as they made their way down the hall. "Now, room 7-C. Let us see. 3-C. 4-C".

"I think it's the one buried in foliage," Musa commented.

Flora looked ahead and noted that there was indeed a door, buried behind piles of flowers of all sorts. "Huh. That is indeed room 7-C," she said as they entered the door.

Inside was a similar mess, piles of flowers, stacks of chocolate and more teddy bears than you could shake a stick at filled up the room. By a bed in the middle, Bloom was busy packing her clothes. The redhead looked up and greeted them with an ecstatic: "Hi, girls".

"Hi. When did you get so many admirers?" Musa asked as they looked around.

"They are get-well gifts from... Well, a lot of people I don't even know who are," Bloom said and opened a cupboard, letting an avalanche of get-well cards fall out. "Take whatever you want. I've already donated half the things to everyone else in the clinic".

"Ah, that explains the newspaper article," Flora noted.

"The what?" Bloom asked.

"It went 'New Dominian Princess Demonstrates Generosity: A Possible View into Future Politics'," the brunette quoted.

Musa facepalmed and groaned.

"Well, I just had more than enough," Bloom said. "I mean, I like chocolate, but even if I could somehow eat all this, I'd turn into a size zeppelin. And I really don't need enough teddy bears to bury a behemoth. Not to mention all the clothes I got. I had to get Stella and Techna over here to help me sort it all out. It's ridiculous".

"Welcome to the world of politics," Musa added dryly. "Enjoy your stay".

"Plus, I've gotten cramps from replying to all these get-well cards," Bloom groaned and rubbed her wrist.

"Well, if you are sharing, then I noted several semi-rare flowers I would love to add to my collection," Flora said.

"And I know a couple of places where you can donate toys so they go to those who don't have a lot," Musa said. "So since you're offering, I'll be taking some of those".

"Knock yourselves out," Bloom said as she closed a suitcase. "Although, be careful about taking things from the bottom of the piles, or you will literally knock yourselves out".

"Duly noted," Musa said. "So, looking forward to moving back to Alfea full-time?"

"Very much. It's been fun here, but commuting has been a mess," Bloom said. "I hope I haven't missed too much".

"Only a class or two. I'm sure the teachers will help you catch up," Musa said. "Come on, let's head out. We wanna get on the next bus".

...

On the planet of Magix, deep beneath the ground, in a massive dark cavern, lay the forgotten castle known as Shadowhaunt. It was a long abandoned building, left to rot and relegated to a place in myth. Or at least, it was supposed to be abandoned.

Inside the castle's prison, a girl sat in a dank and dirty cell. She was wearing what had been a nice green piece suit, perfect for a meeting out in the sun. But that meeting had taken a rather grim turn. Now she sat in the cell, unsure of what to do. She glanced into a pool of stagnant water that had formed on the floor, observing her dark skin and curly brown hair. Both had been absolutely flawless when she had shown up at the meeting. Both were now in shambles. Her clothes and skin were torn in several places, revealing grim looking wounds, and her hair was tangled and dirty. The brunette had never been in a situation like this and was at a loss for what to do. Feeling a tinge of hopelessness, she looked up from the pool and stared out the bars of her grimy cell. And that's when she noticed it. The bars were absolutely covered in rust. The girl wasn't certain, but if she remembered correctly, rust was a sign that the bars were weakened. And if that was the case...

She concentrated on the pool of water and extended her magic. Her body and spirit ached at this exertion of force, but she knew she had to. She was well aware that nobody back home knew she had been brought to this place. Slowly, the water lifted from the pool. The girl concentrated and with a grunt, she splashed it against the cell door with considerable force. With the sound of tearing metal, the door was knocked off its hinges and landed loudly on the floor.

The girl quickly gazed around the prison, wary of the possibility of guards, before running off in a random direction. She ran up and down stairs, passed through more or less empty rooms and made her way down seemingly endless hallways as she desperately looked for an exit. Her legs throbbed with pain and she was certain she had reopened some of her wounds. In the distance, she could hear unwholesome sounds, which made her even more determined to get out. She charged up another flight of stairs before storming into a room. The sides of the room were decorated with grim looking figures that all starred at the centre, where a vertical beam of amber light shone. Inside it, four small winged girls floated around, the lot of them very much aware of the girl's sudden entrance. Pixies.

One was dressed in fine, if somewhat old fashioned clothes and had elegantly set up grey hair. Another was dressed in stereotypical black and white prison clothes and had long flowing red hair. The third had blonde hair tied up in two pigtails and was wearing what could be taken for a green cheerleader uniform. The last wore relatively normal clothes in a pink and green colour scheme and had red hair in a bowl cut.

"Ah, your majesty," the grey haired one said. "You managed to escape your prison".

"Barely..." the girl gasped. "I'm... I'm so... Weak right now".

"Well then, hurry and get us out," the blonde pixie said. "Before that big mean bully and his slimetastic ugly minions come back".

The girl stared at the amber light, before asking: "How?"

The one with the bowl cut pointed at one of the figures on the wall that had a massive tusk and said: "It's a switch".

"Okay... So... I pull it?" the girl wondered aloud, before doing so. Immediately, the light went out and the four pixies tumbled to the ground.

"Alright, breakout time," the blonde said, jumped up in the air and fell down again. "What the hay? My wings".

"Yeah, remember when we got slimed? The stuff is still sticking to our wings," the prison clothes clad one said. "We're not going to be able to fly for a while".

"Princess, if it is not too much a burden, could you please carry us?" the grey haired one asked. "Without our flight, there is no way we can keep up with you".

"I guess," the girl said with a shrug. She lifted three of them into her arms and let the one with the bowl cut into a pocket.

"Hey, Glim, is it comfortable for you?" the blonde asked.

"Uhuh," the one with the bowl cut replied.

"Alright... Now where's the exit," the dark skinned girl said as she ran out of the room. "There's gotta be an exit".

...

"Escape," a dark voice echoed in the very centre of the keep. "There is no escape, little girl. Run wherever you want, but you will find nothing but dead ends and my awaiting minions. Your little breakout will come to naught, because you do not have what it takes to face my brilliance". After a pause, the owner of the voice turned to his assembled monstrosities, sighed and said: "Alright, you guys are the best minions one could wish for, but you are a terrible audience. Oh well, one hopes that this little heroine will be a much better conversationalist. Speaking of her," he continued, before switching to a much more dramatic tone. "Go forth and stop her, my minions. No one escapes from my castle of doom".

...

The girl forced a door open. Behind was a room filled with various pieces of furniture, most of it slowly rotting from long time exposure to the humid environment.

"Exit?" Glim wondered aloud, pointing at a door in the other end.

"Possibly," the girl replied and started crossing the room. Suddenly, the furniture on one side exploded and the girl fell to the floor with a scream. Towering over her was a massive creature. It had a basic humanoid shape, with grey, slimy flesh that emitted a foul stench. Its head was elongated and ended in a massive oversized mouth filled with several rows of teeth of various size and shape. The girl scrambled away with a tight grip on the pixies as the creature's massive maw snapped at her.

Another side exploded and another horror stepped forth. This one was of quadruped build, roughly the size of a pony, with rows upon rows of bony spikes protruding from its slimy flesh. The girl dove behind an armoire as these spines were fired from its hide. One of them dug into her shoulder and she screamed as pain exploded in her shoulder. As she tried to pull the spine out, the prison clothes clad pixie yelled: "BEHIND YOU!"

Around the corner, a third creature slithered forth. It also had a quadruped build, with a long serpentine neck and a body covered in massive bony plates, giving it the look of a turtle gone horribly wrong. It reared its head and spat a wad of fluid from its toothless maw. The girl ran from her cover as the sticky substance splashed against it. She charged for the door and bashed her way through it, desperately trying to get away from the roaring horrors behind her. And then she stopped.

She was outside, on a massive balcony on the castle's side. She hadn't gotten a look at the castle when being brought here, being kind of unconscious at the time, but now she could see it in its full and terrible splendour. The castle of Shadowhaunt was built into massive stalactites that hung from the ceiling, the different buildings connected with stony bridges. The castle itself was decorated with statues, most of them of birds, but one massive one on the central structure in the shape of a massive and terrifying dragon.

"You have done well to come this far," a voice echoed and the girl looked around. "But I really can't allow you to take the pixies away so soon. Would make me seem incompetent and remove all tension".

"Remove... What?" the girl asked.

"Ah, but I should probably introduce myself," the voice continued. "After all, our previous meeting did not really involve much of an introduction. BEHOLD!" it yelled, as a massive bird of obsidian flames flew up from the edge of the balcony. It dove into the platform and exploded, before the flames shifted into the form of a man. He was clad in a dull, rust coloured suit of armour decorated with spikes. The helmet was vaguely reminiscent of a bird's beak, behind which his face could be seen, dark and dry skin illuminated by glowing red eyes. "The lord of Shadowhaunt, the master of darkness, wielder of the black flame, the one and only Shadow Phoenix, Darkar," he announced with dramatic flourishes of his arms. After a moment, he asked: "Well? Was that proper menacing?"

"Yeah. Definitely a ten out of ten on the making me crap my pants meter," the prison clothes clad pixie said.

"Most excellent," Darkar declared happily.

"Why... How... What does that matter?" the girl asked dumbfounded. "You kidnapped me, why do you care whether I think you're scary or not?"

"Some people," Darkar sighed. "Isn't it obvious? I have to play my part well, or the show is ruined".

"Your... Part?" the girl questioned, completely at a loss.

"The gruesome spikes, the glowing red eyes, the name Darkar," the Shadow Phoenix said as if trying to remind her of something. "Doesn't that ring a bell?"

"Eh... No," the girl said. She was not sure what to make of the display.

Darkar groaned and exasperatedly said: "I'm the villain of course. Dear Dragon, you people are hard to work with. I might as well be talking to a mirror. Or a wall. Oh well, enough chit-chat, we better get back to our confrontation". He cleared his throat, extended his hands and demanded: "Hand over the pixies and I may spare your life".

"Ha, she's never going to hand us over," the blonde pixie declared.

"Certain?" Glim asked.

"Yeah... Well, reasonable certain," the blonde continued, looking up at the girl. "You're not going to hand us over, are you?"

"Well... No... I don't think I should," she said uncertainly.

"Really? You don't think you should," Darkar echoed. "Put some effort into it. This wishy-washy thing you got going is ruining the dramatic mood". He sighed again and said: "I swear, this is the problem with working with newbies. Oh well, if I can't get proper dialogue out of you, I will see action".

A ball of dark fire appeared in his hands and he flung it after the girl. She barely managed to avoid a direct hit, but the ensuing explosions flung her across the balcony, sending most of the pixies flying screaming in every direction. She landed hard on her shoulder, forcing the spine even further into her flesh. Darkar menacingly advanced and lifted his hand, the fingers on his gauntlet sharpening into menacing points. He swung it, only for the girl to barely block it with a shield of water.

"Pathetic performance, I'm sorry to say," Darkar declared as he grabbed her neck with his other hand. "You make for a pitiful heroine. There is no fun in fighting you". As the girl writhed in his grip, he rubbed his chin and said in a kinda sad tone: "Maybe you just don't have it in you to be a heroine. Perhaps you were always just a civilian, a side character". He seemed to ponder the question some more, before speculating: "Or maybe this is just the start of your journey and you will become a opponent worthy of fighting me later. But how to be certain?" His dry lips twisted into a grin and he declared: "I have an idea". He dragged the girl to the edge of the balcony and held her over the dark abyss below.

"Stop. Don't hurt her," one of the pixies pleaded.

"What... Are... You... Doing?" the girl asked, panic clear in her strained voice.

"Either establishing my villainous nature or proving you a worthy heroine," Darkar declared. "Enjoy the trip". Then he let go and she fell screaming into the darkness below. "Now, how to increase the odds?" Darkar pondered. He seemed to get another idea, cleared his throat and menacingly declared: "No one could survive a fall like that". He turned, only to notice the three shocked pixies on the floor. "Weren't there four of you before?"

"There was," the blonde said angrily, tears in her eyes. "And you might just have killed her".

"Oh, so she was with the girl," Darkar realised. "Well, that just makes the odds of her return even greater. Most auspicious. And as for you, it's time for you all to go back in your cage".

...

"Ahhh. It's good to be back," Bloom declared as she walked into the common room, she, Flora and Musa carrying the luggage. "I've so missed... Techna?"

The scarred girl was currently sitting on the sofa, blocking her ears with pillows. Bloom put down her luggage and walked over to the girl, suddenly noticing the sound of furious rambling coming from Stella's room. She poked the magenta haired girl's shoulder and Techna looked to the side, before her face lit up in a grin. "Firetop. Good to see you back. How was the funny farm?"

"Actually, it was very pleasant," Bloom replied. "But... What's with the pillows?"

Techna sighed and said: "Suntop's gone over the deep end. Getting ready for the First Year's Dance has snapped her brain like a twig".

"I see," Bloom slowly said. "I better go check on her". She crossed the room and knocked on the Solarian princess' door. Seconds later, Stella ripped it open, eyed the redhead and declared: "Bloom. Good you're back. I tots need your help and I need it now". Then she dragged the confused redhead into her room.

"Should we assist?" Flora asked.

"Staging a rescue mission seems more necessary," Musa commented.

Inside Stella's room, clothes had been strewn all across the floor, flung over chairs and thrown on the bed. "Wow, it's a mess in here," Bloom commented as she saw it. "So I heard from Techna that something's wrong".

"Everything's wrong," Stella more or less wailed. "I bought this new dress for the night. But after I washed it, it shrunk. Now it's a size too small".

Bloom looked around, before suggesting: "Maybe wear something else then".

"That's the problem," Stella frantically declared. "I'm not sure which of these dresses I haven't worn before. Brandon's here tonight, so I cannot, like, afford to screw up. I need to look amazing".

"Don't you always?" Bloom asked. "I mean, except when you wear the stuff you've made yourself".

"Not now," Stella grumbled. "I need to find out what I have, like, already worn for our dates so he can tots see my radiance in something new. I need your help to sort all these clothes and go through my calendar so we can categorise what I was wearing when. It may take a couple of hours before we're done, but in the end, it will... Bloom? Bloom, where are you going? Bloom, come back here, I need your..."

Bloom closed the door to the blonde's room and released an exasperated sigh.

"That bad?" Musa asked.

"She wants to show off for Brandon, but she wants to do it while wearing something he hasn't seen before," Bloom explained. "And that's got her completely unwound".

"Well, if that is her biggest problem at the moment, I suppose things are going well for her," Flora commented.

"Don't think that's how she sees it," Techna said. "She tried roping me into helping her. Said that's what friends do. I offered her my smelling stick so she could see how much each piece of cloth smelled of her, would probably make it a lot easier, but no, apparently that's yucky".

"I suppose most people are more comfortable with remaining ignorant of exactly how much of their body they leave in their clothes," Flora mused.

"Well, there's no way I'm wasting time going through her clothes," Bloom said. "I think I wanna go check out Alfea, see if I can remember how to get everywhere".

"Re-familiarising yourself with the layout. A excellent idea," Flora said. "I will go check up on when I can expect my new flowers".

"Gotten some gifts from Firetop too?" Techna asked.

"Indeed. What did you choose?" Flora asked.

"Loads of high quality candy for my neighbourhood," Techna replied. "Boy, were people happy. Most of them have never tasted fancy pants chocolate before".

"Well, then I suppose I shall go practise my music," Musa said. "Hopefully, any impromptu orchestra we set up will be better off than the one last year".

"Oh, come on, that was great," Bloom insisted.

"It was a mess," Musa said firmly.

"Well, good luck with your horn blowing," Techna said and eyed Stella's room. "Once Suntop really gets going, I can't even hear my own work. Makes it really hard, ya know. There I am, building my new cooling system, and all I can hear is WAAHHHHHHHHH, CLOTHES, CLOTHES, CLOTHES!"

"Hopefully, she will calm down soon enough," Flora said slightly concerned.

"Don't count on it," Techna added.

"Yeah, I am most definitely going somewhere that is not here," Bloom said as she got up. "See you all at the party".

...

Bloom walked down the halls of Alfea, trying to find something new. She had visited the rebuilt wing, but that was pretty much the same as it had been before being rebuilt. So instead, she went farther into Alfea, going down corridors in areas she didn't usually visit. And suddenly, she found something. Something she hadn't seen before in the halls of Alfea.

"A dead end," the redhead stated, before dryly adding: "How exciting". She sighed and started walking back while saying: "You'd think a school of magicians would have all kinds of cools secrets for students to sniff out, but no, all I find is... Is..."

Her eyes fell upon a picture on the wall. It was a painting of the exact same hallway she was in, making it seem kinda redundant. And yet, something was off. After comparing the picture with the hallway around her, she suddenly realised that there was a door on the picture that wasn't in the hall. Or was it?

Bloom was familiar enough with the concept of illusions that she knew better than to trust her eyes alone. She started patting the wall where the door ought to be. After a few moments of getting touchy-feely with the masonry, she felt a doorknob in her hand. She pressed it down and the wall before her opened, revealing a hidden room.

Curiosity awoken, Bloom stepped inside. The room was tall and round, probably the inside of one of Alfea's towers. And every part of the walls where dominated by shelf after shelf of tomes, books and scrolls.

"Well, I doubt you are supposed to be here, young lady," a light but strict voice declared. Down from above descended a pixie. She had blonde hair set up in two buns, wore a pointy hat and robes, both blue. She also wore a little set of glasses.

"Well... No," Bloom admitted. "I was just wandering around and I saw the picture outside.

The pixie sighed and said: "Yeah, that happens. Well, I guess there's no need to be rude. My name is Concorda".

"Bloom," the redhead greeted while giving a slight bow. "Wait, I think I heard about you. Aren't you Alfea's... Guardian pixie or something?"

"That is my title, yes," the pixie confirmed. "Though in practise, I mostly guard this, the restricted library".

"Oh. I guess that's why it's kept secret," Bloom said. "Why not just lock it?"

"Have you ever tried unlocking an invisible lock? It's not easy," Concorda explained. "Honestly, we weren't even supposed to have that picture outside, but after one teacher got stuck in the hallway for three hours, we decided to make things a little easier".

"Huh. I was wondering," Bloom said. "Do students often stumble in here?"

"Occasionally. Some are allowed in my Faragonda, others find it like you. Most are nice enough to not blather about this place to everyone they know," Concorda said. "I hope you are one of those".  
>"My lips are sealed," Bloom replied, mimicking the zipping of her lips.<p>

"Much appreciated," Concorda said gratefully.

Suddenly, what looked like a big, winged seahorse flew down from above, before, to Bloom's surprise, saying in a very stuffy voice: "Concorda, it would appear that the student who lent 'The Workings of Memory Alterations' has forgotten to deliver it back in due time".

"Let's just give him a day more. Might just be busy because of the party," Concorda said.

"Hmm, very well, if you think we can allow that, then I suppose that's how it's going to be," the seahorse said, sounding somewhat displeased. Then he flew off again.

"He's a great assistant," Concorda said moments after. "Dedicated, hard-working and in possession of an excellent memory. Also, a little uptight".

"Not to be rude, but what was he?" Bloom asked.

"A pixie of course," Concorda said. "Or maybe you thought that we were limited to humanoid forms?"

"Actually, yeah, I did," Bloom admitted. "I really don't know that much about pixies".

"Hmm, well, is there anything you'd like to know?" Concorda offered. "Obviously, it's a subject I know very well".

"Well, I was kinda curious. I heard that some pixies are bonded to a place, but what does that mean?" Bloom asked.

"When a pixie bonds to a place, and the size of that place very much depends on the strength of the pixie, they tie themselves to that domain and are stronger within it," Concorda explained. "Think of it like your knack. You are stronger when you operate within it".

"Makes sense," the redhead said.

"Of course, this boost is determined by the state of the place," Concorda continued. "This is of course the subject of a very complicated and much debated definition of the word state. It varies a lot, you see. The conditions for a good state for a house is vastly different from a tree. So it gets rather complicated".

"I guess," Bloom said. "Kinda like how people are debating how exactly knacks work. Like, I have fire. But it also gives me some control over heat and smoke. Despite that both aren't fire, but a product of it".

"Exactly," Concorda said. "Enough to give anyone a headache".

Bloom nodded in agreement and checked her watch. "Well, I better get going. The party is starting soon," she said. "Goodbye".

"Goodbye," Concorda said as the redhead fairy left the restricted library.

...

"Does it sit well? There aren't any holes or spots I've missed?" Stella asked as she frantically circled herself. She was wearing a beautiful, glimmering dress the colour of a sunset.

"Does your clothes normally fall apart from exposure to fresh air?" Musa sarcastically asked. "No? Then stop freaking out". She was dressed in homemade clothes decorated with her characteristic colourful laps of fabric.

"Hopefully, her boyfriend will show up soon, so we can have them exchange some mouth-water for a while," Techna commented. She had gotten some new, stylish clothes. Not that any of the pieces matched, to absolutely no one's surprise.

"What I think they are trying to say, is that you should relax," Flora tried diplomatically. As usual for such an occasion, she was dressed in fine, but functional clothes.

"Hey, am I late?" Bloom asked as she hurried up to the group, dressed in the same blue dress as last year. They were standing outside the banquet hall, awaiting entry.

"Bloom, that's the dress you wore last year," Stella gasped.

"Wow, sounds like we got some long term memory up and running," Musa snarked.

"Oh, do shut up," Stella snarled.

"Anyway, to answer your question, no, we are still waiting," Flora said.

"Okay, Then I've got time to go get some fresh air," Bloom said before heading for the entrance. When she noticed her friends followed, she asked: "So, how do you think the decorations will be this year?"

"All over the place," Stella said. "They always are".

The five of them made their way outside, where the sun was slowly setting. Suddenly, they heard the characteristic sound of aircycles, moments before three shapes sharply turned and drove into the courtyard. Moments after braking, the lead aircyclist jumped off, ripped off his helmet and triumphantly declared: "Aha. See, Sky? I'm still the best aircyclist around, period".

"Alright, you won the race," the Eraklian prince admitted as he got of his aircycle. "But only because you are a complete nutjob. Seriously, when you cut me off, you could have gotten us both hurt".

"It's called a high risk manoeuvre," Riven said proudly. "And you're just jealous because every time you try to pull something like that off, it always ends up with the rest of us having to hold your spine together long enough to get to a healer".

"He's got you there," Brandon commented as he walked past. "Hi, girls. Me and the kids are here".

"Where's Timmy?" Techna asked. "In fact, the heck are everyone else?"

"They're coming, don't worry," Brandon stated. "But Ego 1 and Ego 2 here needed to let some testosterone loose before the party, so they decided to race each other. I just followed to make sure they didn't get any booboos".

"Ha ha, very funny," Sky commented as he walked by. "So, has the party started yet?"

"They weren't letting anyone in when we last checked, but we might as well... Oh, I think the others are coming," Musa said.

Through the sky flew one of Red Fountain's larger vessels. It landed outside the courtyard, letting dozens of students loose. As the many people made their way into the building, bringing along this year's gifts, Timmy broke off and headed over to the others.

"Did anyone get hurt?" was his first question.

"No. We got lucky this time," Brandon replied.

"Has something happened lately?" Bloom asked curiously. "Because I kinda get the feeling that something happened".

"Sky here got it into his head that he could equal me in aircycle racing," Riven said. "And I'll admit that he has gotten better. Not as good as me, but still, better. Though it did cost him a lot of broken bones and a minor concussion when he kissed a tree at high speed".

"Ouch," Bloom commented.

"So, hey, there was a party somewhere. Let's go see to the party," Sky interrupted as he hurried into the school, eager to let the subject drop. "Come on, there's a party".

"Can't argue with that," Techna declared happily.

...

The party reminded Bloom very much of the last one. The decorations were, as Stella predicted, all over the place, including cute teddy bears and dishes with demonic pictures emblazoned on them. The music ranged from soothing violins to dirty limericks set to speed metal. And as usual, the witches crashed the party, setting off a ton of pranks all over the place.

Among the arriving witches was Lucy, who immediately sought out Mirta and gave her a big hug, before joining the rest of the group. "Been a while, Mirta. You aren't forgetting your old pal, are you?" the gangly witch teased.

"Of course not," Mirta hastily said. "I would never dream of... You're messing with me, aren't you?"

"Oh so much," Lucy said with a grin. "But seriously, where you been all summer?"

"Well, I saw a brochure for a summer camp for magi," Mirta said. "So I joined up. Then I visited my family for a bit before coming back to Alfea".

"I've also been to a summer camp," Musa added. "Specifically, Improv' Isles. It was the cheapest we could find, but still fun".

"It's only cheap because of the noise and smell," Lucy commented. When she noticed the quizzical looks of the others, she added: "Improv' Isles, as the name indicates, are a couple of privately owned islands set aside for improvisational arts. So as you can imagine, it involves a lot of self-styled artists banging away at stuff without any sense of tone".

"Alright, that much is true," Musa admitted. "Still, it was several weeks dedicated to exploring my own talent".

"That does sound fun," Bloom added. "I've spent most of my time in a clinic, slowly getting buried under a mountain of chocolate".

"True story," Techna added. "Okay, it was more like a hill, but still, tons of candy".

"A bit excessive, in my opinion," Flora said. "But I suppose they want to make an impression on the newly discovered soon to be regent of Domino".

At this comment, Brandon suddenly nudged Sky in the ribs. The blond looked thoroughly confused, until he caught his squire's gaze and said: "Oh, right. That". He cleared his throat and said: "Bloom. There's something I should tell you before you hear it from anyone else. Because... Well, that didn't go so well last time".

"And what is that?" the redhead asked.

"My dad has kinda... Well, he more or less ordered me to get our relationship functioning again," the prince admitted, although it clearly made him uncomfortable. "So I just wanted you to know. I still would like to hang out, but if we do, it'll be because I want to, not because my father says I should".

"Didn't he want you and Diaspro to get hitched?" Bloom asked.

Sky looked more and more uncomfortable, as he continued with: "Well... Yes. Yes he does. But he also thinks we should get together. Because it could benefit us politically".

Bloom sighed and pinched her nose.

"You did the right thing," Brandon said and patted Sky on the back. "We don't need a repeat of last time".

"I'm going to get some more roast. Maybe then I won't feel so tempted to light your father on fire," Bloom grumbled as she got up from her chair.

"I hear a lot of people feel like that," Riven commented.

As the redhead went for the meat, she noticed a young looking fairy going for a very familiar bowl.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but do you know what that is?" Bloom asked her.

"Ehm... I kinda assumed it was some sort of juice," the girl said.

"Yeah, I thought so too last year. It's actually alcoholic," Bloom said. "So unless you want to end up like I did last year, I'd be careful with that".

The fairy thanked her, and Bloom went on with enjoying the party and participating in the good times.

...

The blond pixie screamed as jagged black lightning surged through her body.

"Feeling talkative," Darkar asked as he let the surge stop. "You only need to tell me what I want to know and all these unpleasantries will stop".

"Why are you being so mean?" the long haired redhead pixie asked, now wearing a 'Down with Darkar' T-shirt.

"Ugh. What part of 'evil villain' is it that you people don't get?" Darkar asked in an exasperated tone. "If we have to go over the basics every five seconds, we're not going to get anywhere, are we?"

"That doesn't mean you can just torture us, you brute," the grey-haired pixie declared.

Darkar rubbed his helm in frustration, groaning: "I need better people to play off. Why should I not torture you? I'm a malicious villain and you have the info I need. Speaking of that, where is Pixie Village? I know you have part of the Codex".

"We will never tell you," the blonde pixie weakly but defiantly declared.

"Good, splendid. This is more like it," Darkar joyfully declared. "Heroic resistance". He cleared his throat and threateningly said: "You will break soon enough, pixie. Everyone does eventually". And then he let the lightning flow from his hand again.

...

Later that night, the party at Alfea was starting to cool down. The sun had set and the stars were visible in the warm summer night.

"I'm so happy to be back at Alfea," Bloom repeated herself.

"Well... We are... Happy to have you... Back," Flora said, choosing her words carefully. Her face was slightly flushed and a sleeping Mirta was currently using her shoulder as a pillow.

"How's everyone else?" Bloom asked.

"Suicidal," Riven said tonelessly.

Besides him, Stella was going on and on about the fashion choices of her contemporaries, comparing hat colours and talking about which sort of belt buckle was fashionable. Even Brandon was wearing a stiffened mask of attentive listening, his brain clearly preoccupied with everything but fashion.

"Guys. Cordatorta said that if we want to go home today, then it's going to be now," Sky said as he walked up to the group.

"No way. You mean I have to miss out on Little Miss Sunshine's fashion bonanza?" Riven asked in mock shock, causing the Solarian blonde to huff in annoyance. "What a tragedy that has befallen me".

"We could always just leave you here," Brandon suggested, finally paying attention again.

"I'll shoot myself," Riven declared. "But not before I shoot you two for abandoning me".

"Duly noted," Brandon said with a grin. "Now, where's Timmy?"

"I think that's him," Musa said and pointed.

"Come on. One step at the time," Timmy advised as he slowly supported Techna down the road. "Easy does it".

"I would ask if she's drunk were the answer not so obvious," Musa commented as they got close.

"Ahm stjill ready fur more," Techna slurred, swaying back and forth. "And I cjan stjill walk, ya know".

"Alright, just be careful," Timmy advised and let the scarred girl go. "So, what's up?"

"It's time to go home," Sky said.

"Aww, but we having sho much fun," Techna groaned. "Ah well, come 'ere, Databoy". She planted a sloppy, wet kiss before asking: "Djid... Djid you do shomething tyo yarself? Did you gjet taller?"

"No, I'm just Brandon," the brunette said, wiping saliva off. "I'm afraid you got the wrong boyfriend".

"Oh. Shorry. Oh well, might ash well share a gjood thing," she slurred, before managing to give Timmy his kiss.

"And now you smell like alcohol," Stella sighed, before giving Brandon his goodbye kiss. "Just make sure to boil that chin when you get home".

"I really doubt she's that poisonous," Brandon chuckled while getting up on his aircycle. "See ya".

"Bye bye," Sky called.

"Later," Riven said, as the three speeded off.

"Well, I better get going too. We'll talk," Timmy said as he left.

Minutes later, most of the guests had left and the school became almost quiet.  
>"Ah, that was fun," Stella said. "But also tiring, so I'm going to... Can you hear something?"<p>

The girls looked at one another, before noticing someone saying: "Little further. Come on, somebody's there".

"Sounds like... Somebody is... Coming," Flora noted.

"Probably another student who's had one too many drinks. Like someone else," Stella noted, while looking at Techna.

"Ahm not more drunk than Ey canna handle," the scarred girl declared.

A shape stumbled out of the woods and into the light of the lamps. The girls gasped.

It was a girl, dark skinned and dressed in the sad remains of a dress. She was wounded, bruised, soaking wet, and shaking and quivering. She was accompanied by an equally soaked though less injured pixie with red hair.

The girl managed the ghost of a smile when she saw the girls, before she collapsed.

"Help?" the pixie pleaded.


	2. Darkar's New Gang

Chapter 2: Darkar's New Gang

"Do you think she's going to be okay?" Bloom asked. She, Stella and Musa had brought the mysterious girl to the hospital wing, the three others well aware that they would be of little help in their less than sober state.

"Well, she had some serious wounds and fractures, not to mention that her temperature was getting dangerously low," Ophelia replied. "But all that has been fixed. Now she just needs her rest. I gathered from her pixie that they have travelled quite the distance".

"I wonder what happened to her," Stella speculated.

"The pixie was willing to tell their tale, but I advised that she got her rest too," Ophelia said. "So for now, there's really nothing more we can do but wait".

"Alright," Musa said. "We'll return to our cluster then".

As the three girls began returning home, Bloom wondered: "The pixie said they had travelled far for help. Why would that be necessary?"

"Well, Magix has a lot of unclaimed and unused wilderness," Musa said. "So if something happened to her out there, there would be little help for her or the pixie to get".

"The question, of course, is what was she doing out there?" Bloom brought up.  
>"Whatever. Faragonda is, like, going to take care of it," Stella said dismissively. "We did our part, so there's tots no reason to worry about what totally doesn't concern us".<p>

"I guess you're right," Bloom admitted. "Let's just get back to being everyday students". After a moment, she added: "Still, no harm in checking up on her and making sure she's alright".

"You just want to sate your curiosity, don't you?" Stella asked.

"Well, okay, yes," Bloom admitted. "I just want to know what would do that to somebody. You know, be prepared and all that".

"She does make a point," Musa agreed. "If something is out in the woods trying to turn people into confetti, I would like to know it too".

"I guess that's true," Stella said. "But I'm sure Faragonda will have a handle on this. And if there is something out there, they'll tots send someone from Red Fountain to kick its butt". After a moment, she added: "But yes, staying informed would, like, be for the best. I just don't, like, want to get swept up into something like last year".

"Eh, odds are it's just some rabid animal," Musa said.

The three of them walked into their common room.

Stella yawned and said: "Well, I'm beat. Goodnight".

"See you tomorrow," Musa said as she headed for her room.

"Goodnight, you two," Bloom said as she dumped down into the sofa, not feeling particularly tired. Curious about what she could find, she turned on the television. She zapped around, many of the channels shut down for the night, until she happened upon a rerun of a news program.

"And welcome back, viewers," an elf with an impressively puffy moustache greeted. "Before the commercial break, we were going over the facts of the pre-summer case known as the Usurper Conflict, named after its perpetrators. And now, expert on law, Coty Gisli". He turned in his chair to face a sharply dressed leprechaun. "Now then, the Usurper Trio, as they have been nicknamed by the press, were sentenced to rehabilitation at Lightrock, but there's been a lot of criticism of the sentence. What's your take on it?"

"Huh. This ought to be interesting," Bloom said to herself, as she got comfortable.

"Well," the leprechaun began. "Part of the problem many have is of course the death of 'innocents', which was also the prosecutor's main argument, although he of course phrased it in more acceptable legal jargon. It's understandable why so many would have such harsh reactions, especially considering that some of the killed were well known figures associated with the political movers and shakers. The thing is, 'innocent' in legal terms merely means 'not convicted' of a given crime. What people usually mean is that defenceless civilians were killed and this is where it gets murky. Testimonies gathered from Red Fountain, Magicalis, Alfea and Cloud Tower casts doubt about whether or not the people involved could be termed civilians".

"And what difference does that make?" the host asked.

"Simple. The wholesale slaughter of civilians is a very serious war crime," the leprechaun continued. "The problem is that the people of Red Fountain, even those in training, are soldiers and thus not civilians. Engaging them in combat is a completely legal course of action for an invading force. The students of Alfea and Cloud Tower make this a little bit more unclear, but given their choice to take up arms, they would be classified as civilian combatants. That is legally somewhere between militia and civilian. They chose to take up arms and the Usurper Trio had given them a twenty-four hour warning, so legally speaking, there is little legal grounds for calling it a war crime. Even the prosecutor had to admit as much. The problem is the pre-emptive strike against Alfea. Basically, you cannot attack someone because you suspect that they are or will be civilian combatants. But ultimately, this was such a little part of the conflict, that the judge and jury decided that it didn't make much difference on the grand scale of things. Therefore, any attempt at giving them the Omega sentence would seem a major overreaction, even if public sentiment was for it".

"Many thanks for the insight," the host said before turning to the camera. "And now, the weather".

Bloom turned the television to a different channel and sighed. She wasn't sure whether or not she agreed with those legal definitions, having been on the receiving end of the Army of Darkness.

...

The Lightrock Monastery for the Magically Unstable was a massive facility build upon high cliffs on the planet Magix, reasonably far enough away from civilisation that nobody got nervous. The only way in and out was either being a very dedicated climber or via air, which was also how the place got its supplies. The facility had been started by a joint effort between the Roccalucian Order and the two nearby schools for magi. They provided care for those who had been afflicted with a wide variety of symptoms, all falling under the umbrella term of Magic Induced Mental Irregularity, or magic mania as it was called in less politically correct circles. This meant nursing people back to a more healthy and balanced state of mind, whether the damage was from having their mind warped by constant exposure to positive or negative energy.

The guards were elite warriors trained in anti-magical techniques. They had to possess great strength of will and unwavering dedication, because a lack of either could be used by hostile magi to influence them. All magi that were hospitalized were required to wear magical dampeners, in order to decrease risks. This was mandatory, even for low risk cases, because experience had shown that anything but the strictest control could set off a serious series of unfortunate events.

On this day in particular, a newly trained guard was being briefed by one of his superiors in one of the offices.

"Alright, Johnson," the superior, a man built like a brick, with a massive, barely tamed beard. "I assume you have heard at least a little about these three".

"They were the instigators of the Usurper Conflict," the one named Johnson said, a pale male elf with a blond bowl cut. "Was all over the news".

"Yes, but these three are not just a single fused being with a personality to share," his superior said. "So don't treat them as such. Also, do not remind them of the Usurper Conflict. We wish to move them away from the state of mind they were in at the time".

"Alright, will do," the elf obediently said.

"Now, onto their dossiers," the superior said. "First is Maria Arion. She sometimes gets called Stormy by her friends, but you must insist on using her real name".

"Noted," Johnson said.  
>"So far, she's the one that's shown most progress," his superior said. "She's the nineteenth child out of a big family. However, all her older siblings had already been granted positions to inherit, so she had to live with being the reserve for the reserve for a baroness. Most of her family had little time for her with their various businesses and important positions, so they instead tried to show their affections through gifts. Didn't work. She suffers from an inferiority complex that manifests in powerful mood swings ranging from rage to melancholy, plus an incredible need to 'be someone'. Her parents visited a lot when she first arrived, but they have recently stopped, because they need to oversee their family businesses. This has slowed her progress down somewhat. She sometimes gets visits from a witch named Lucy Mint. We see a lot of potential for progress in their friendship. When dealing with her, make sure she feels appreciated".<p>

"Alright. That's one of the three," Johnson noted.

"Indeed," his superior agreed. "Next is Darcy Aldis. What do you know of the Aldis family?"

"Very unsettling things," Johnson admitted.

"Right. The Aldis family were instigators of one of the largest and bloodiest civil wars in Solarian history," his superior explained. "They lost everything in that way. Ever since then, they have been worming their way into many facets of Solarian society. Their most despicable practise is that children in the family are sent to off-world countries with lax laws, where the children are trained to be agents of the family. As such, consider Darcy a child soldier, although one geared for social manipulation and espionage. Her training has left her with sociopathic tendencies, emotional detachment and an inability to completely form bonds with others, due to having to fight siblings in mock shadow wars for basic necessities. She has little regards for others, having had a pragmatic sense of solipsism ingrained into her, but she is not cruel without purpose. If she has nothing to gain, she will not hurt anybody. She's a very secretive and deceptive person, but strangely enough, doesn't directly lie much, if at all. Thing is, she might show progress, but she is also an excellent actor. It will be hard to determine when she's ready to be let out".

"Man, it's almost enough to make me feel sorry for her," the elf admitted.

"There's nothing wrong with empathy," his superior assured him. "Now, the last one is the most difficult case. Isabella Bijoux. Goes by Icy at times, although you are not to refer to her as such. Whereas the other two have issues rooted entirely in childhood problems, Isabella has one major problem that has been there from birth. She is a sadist, a natural bully if you will, who gets enjoyment out of hurting others. From her family, who has always given her what she wants, she's gained an incredible sense of arrogance and entitlement. She's convinced that the world revolves around her. That being said, she has an incredible sense of loyalty towards her family, even if she shows her affection in a somewhat warped way. Her participation in the Usurper Conflict was due to a desire to give her family a new home and status. They are from Domino you see, and lost much of their power and influence when the kingdom fell. She will be a tough case, as she believes she's been in the right the whole time. I'll say this again, and with her this is even more important, don't mention the conflict and under no circumstances are you to mention the newly discovered and recognised Dominian heir or anything related to that. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," the elf replied.

"Good. Now, the three are friends, even if their bonds are warped by their respective issues," the superior continued. "We still allow them to see each other, although only under supervision. Our hopes are that as they start improving, their friendship will help foster positive development between them. Still, their influence on one another was what helped worsen the situation, so we still limit the amount of time they get to spend together".

"Sounds reasonable," the elf offered.

...

"So, what should we talk about?" Maria asked. She, Darcy and Isabella were currently seated in the cafeteria, under observation from the guards who were listening to everything they were saying. Around the table, Darcy sat with a neutral expression and Isabella was stabbing her vegetables as if she was imagining the action would cause a hated enemy to die. All of them were dressed in nondescript white clothes.

"Well, it's not like there is anything to talk about," Darcy said. "I mean, there is, but certain subjects always seem to result in together time suddenly being over".

At the mention of this, Isabella started stabbing her food harder, no longer eating so much as just trying to massacre her dinner.

"Well, I'm worried my magic will suffer from me being out of practise," Maria said, gesturing to her gem encrusted headband.

"Your magic is second nature. The moment they take that thing off, you'll be back at full strength in little to no time," Darcy said. "As for me, well, currently my psychiatrist is trying to find me a constructive hobby".

"I wonder if setting this place on fire counts as constructive," Isabella grumbled in a low voice.

"Doubtful," Darcy replied. "Personally, I hope to find one and through it develop the positive mindset that is necessary to become a proper citizen". It was clear from her phrasing that this was codeword for 'I'm playing along until I can get the heck out of here'.

...

At Alfea, Bloom sat in her class, tired from the last night. She was beginning to regret binging on late-night television, but she hadn't been sleepy at the time. She certainly was now. As she sat, trying to keep her eyes open, the classroom door opened. And suddenly, Bloom was very convinced she was dreaming. An elf, whose facial features was the striking image of Palladium's, marched in, but he was taller and had long blond hair rather than brown.

"Good morning class," he greeted them joyfully. "And welcome back to basic magic theory. I see some of you look slightly confused. Yes, Bloom?"

"Are you professor Palladium?" the redhead asked, indeed slightly confused.

"Indeed I am," the elf informed her. "Perhaps we should start with a little biology to help clear up the confusion. Elves go through metamorphosis several times during their lives, with alterations happening based on their current environment. I went through mine this summer and have therefore transformed to better handle you". His voice was full of confidence and certainty, proving the transformation wasn't just physical. "That being said, I am still the same person with the same personality. Some aspects have just been altered in their intensity". He turned to the blackboard and began writing. "Now, first off I'd like to recap some of the properties of magical energy, specifically in relation to how it balances out. Can anyone remember? Musa, you got the word".

"Magic will flow from a place with higher concentration to a lower, until both are equal" Musa said. "Thus, your reservoir of energy depends on where you are".

"You're right," Palladium said. "Now, this is the basic principle you learned about last school year. The thing is, there are plenty of exceptions to that rule. Dragonflames for example, can absorb and store magic in excess of their surroundings. That is why they are so powerful".

Several students turned to look at Bloom, who lifted her hand. When Palladium nodded in her direction, she asked: "But I have experienced magical leakage while back on Earth".

"No surprise. The flame can only absorb a certain percentage in excess," Palladium explained. "If you are in an environment with less magic, you will leak, though you will still retain more magical energy of what a normal magi would have. Now, another exception. Magic clusters around living beings. You'd imagine it's all over space, but no, it clusters around planets that support life. This observation forms the very basis of our habitable planet discovery systems. They scan through the dimensions for clusters of magic to find worlds capable of supporting life. Now, the last exception is that magic can stagnate. If it's not used, it will weaken. The weaker it is, the fewer magi can use magic and vice versa. Thus, the growth or decay of magic spirals, each effect strengthening and amplifying the other. These are some of the most basic exceptions to the rule, and forms the basis of what you will learn this year. Last year, we taught you about the laws of magic, but what you will come to understand in the course of this year is that magic always has exceptions". He cleared his throat and clarified: "Don't think this means everything you've learned is a waste. But it does mean that for every rule and law, there are a dozen exceptions. Nothing is set in stone, so never dismiss anything as impossible. Keep an open mind, but also be aware of what is improbable. This forms the basis of a proper mindset to exploring the nature of magic. Any questions? No? Alright then, let us move on..."

...

"Sheesh, you look beat," Techna commented as she and the redhead left the class. "You'd probably fall asleep if you stopped moving for a few seconds".

"Then I better not stop moving," Bloom said and yawned. "Still got more classes today".

"True, true," the scarred girl commented. "Well, if you do fall asleep, try not to land on your phone again".

"Don't remind me," Bloom groaned. "I was lucky you could come and fix it, otherwise I would probably have gone crazy while at Sunny Soul".

"Would kinda defeat the point of being there," Techna commented.

"I'm serious," Bloom said. "Visiting my parents and Earth friends is hard enough when I'm not in a hospital to recover from PTSD. And it's not like I could just leave whenever I wanted. Seriously, how does people live without a phone?"

"Eh, you can mange, but they really do make everything a lot easier," Techna commented with a shrug.

...

Two days later, Bloom and Musa entered the hospital wing.

Ophelia looked up from her desk and asked: "Can I assume you're here to check up on the girl again?"

"Yeah. How is she?" Bloom asked,

"Finally awake," the nurse commented. "And very hungry. No surprise there, what with being out like a light for four days. You can go visit her if you like, though Faragonda might send you out once she arrives".

"We'll keep that in mind," Musa said as they entered the room. Inside, the girl was slowly eating her food. On a windowsill, the red headed pixie was also happily eating a much smaller portion of food. The brunette quickly noted her visitors and asked: "Are you the ones with the questions?"

"The questions?" Bloom repeated.

"The nurse said someone named Faragonda would like to ask me a few things," the girl explained.

"No, she's not here yet," Bloom said. "We were just concerned, since we were the ones who found you outside the school".

The girl looked at the pixie, who nodded. "Alright, I suppose I should be thankful for your assistance," the girl said. "So, thank you".

"You're welcome," the redhead said. "By the way, I'm Bloom and this is Musa".

"Aisha," the girl said with a polite nod.

It was at this moment that Faragonda entered and noted the two fairies with a: "Hello, Bloom. Hello, Musa. Ophelia said you were in here".

"We were just curious about her health. We can leave if it's necessary," Bloom offered.

"Well, I'll leave that up to our patient," Faragonda replied. She turned to the girl and said: "I need to know as much as possible, but if you feel that anything is sensitive information, say so and these two will gladly leave".

"What happened to me is not public knowledge, but not because it shouldn't be," Aisha said. "My full name is Aisha Hadith, princess of Tides. I was sent on a diplomatic mission in order to train my skills. That mission was to Pixie Village. Or rather, the outskirts, since few non-pixies are allowed to enter. We met up with a delegation as agreed, but when we got there, we were attacked by monsters. I was knocked unconscious and brought to an underground castle, ruled by a being that referred to himself as Darkar. He is absolutely insane, but also very dangerous. I tried to get the pixies out, but... Well, that failed rather miserably. Darkar caught us and he threw me from the castle, apparently in the hopes that I would return. Don't ask me how it makes sense, because I don't know. A stream ended up spewing me and Glim out near the surface and we wandered until we found help".

"I see," Faragonda replied, rubbing her chin. "I will contact Tides and Pixie Village as soon as possible. Dragon knows what this Darkar fellow is up to".

Bloom and Musa looked at each other.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," the redhead admitted.

...

Deep below the earth in the dark castle of Shadowhaunt, Lord Darkar was annoyed. As he paced his throne room, he tried figuring out what exactly was bothering him. It wasn't his complete failure to obtain information from the pixies, in fact, he had never expected them to give in. He had only tortured them, because they couldn't heroically resist his torture if he didn't hurt them in the first place, even if he had nothing to show for it and never expected to gain anything. This all made sense to Darkar.

No, he was annoyed because he was realising that something was missing. Something that should be there, something that he was so expecting to be there that he would often act as if it were. And then it hit him.

"Minions!" he exclaimed in realisation. Several of his monsters turned to face him. "No, not you," he clarified. "I mean, what is missing around here is a quirky squad of minions who have more smarts and strength than you guys. But where to find such a thing. MINIONS, FETCH ME MY... No, wait, this is going to get confusing," he realised. After a moment's deliberation, he realised: "I got it. From now on, you guys are mooks. Much better, right?" The beasts did not react. "See, that's the problem," he said, throwing his hands in the air. "I'm firing off my best material and you guys never react. I might as well be completely silent. I need someone to talk to, someone who can talk back and make sassy comments and question my orders, so I can angrily yell at them to obey. Anything else would just be profoundly stupid". He cleared his throat and loudly ordered: "MOOKS, FETCH ME MY TELEVISION!"

Moments later the grotesque slime-beasts carefully pushed a television on wheels into the room, a sad and old model with a little screen. One of the humanoid creatures waddled over and delivered the remote. Darkar eagerly turned it on, the screen grey and jittery from the horrible reception. He flipped from channel to channel, catching glimpses of programs. "Minions, minions, minions," he muttered as he flipped through the channels. "Will I find a ready-made team or will I have to assemble one myself? I hope I can find a pre-made team, would take less time out of my schedule". He happened upon a rerun of a news program. And what the news program told him intrigued him.

...

The next day was a warm, almost cloudless day at Lightrock, with two guards enjoying the majestic view from the fortress' walls. One was the newly hired elf, the other a senior human guard with brown hair.

"The view really is one of the great job benefits," the human said, enjoying the warmth of the sun. "So, how has your first post been?"

"Well, two of them seem nice," the elf replied. "Though according to the dossier, Darcy might just be faking enthusiasm. It's the one with white hair, Isabella, who worries me. The way she was staring at me at lunch... She wished all kinds of ills on me".

"It is sadly one of the things you'll have to get used to," the human sighed. "Some of the inmates cling to their cause, thinking it just and that makes us the enemy. It will fade once she starts realising the error of her ways".

"And you think she will?" Johnson asked.

"I believe everyone can be redeemed. It's why I work here," the man said.

"Yeah, but her parents were here. They have been trying to get through to her, but it doesn't seem like it's working," the elf explained. "I'm not sure anything can convince that girl she was in the wrong".

"She's been here for, what, a couple of months?" the brunette asked. "Give it time. Some people take years to realise their wrongdoings. But if you don't believe in their redemption, then it will never happen".

"I guess you're right," the blond elf admitted. "She just... Creeps me out a bit. I guess I... Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" the human asked, suddenly very attentive.

"There. There it was again," the elf pointed out.

They both strained, and through the skies, a dark voice echoed: "Is it a bird? A man? A plane? No, It's..." With a tremendous roar, a bird made of fire the colour of the abyss charged out of the clouds, before smashing into the courtyard. Moments later, the fire shifted into a form, jubilantly finishing its previous declaration with: "LORD DARKAR!" He dusted off his armour, before asking: "Hi, I'm looking for the Usurper Trio. Would you mind pointing me in the right direction?"

"SOUND THE ALARM!" the brunette yelled to another guard.

"Apparently you would mind that," Darkar mused, black flames growing in his palms.

...

Inside the cafeteria, an alarm went off and most of the guards ran off. The remaining ones instructed that: "Everyone, remain calm and return to your rooms".

"What's going on? A fire drill?" Maria asked as she and her two compatriots left their table, escorted by a guard.

"Maybe one of the inmates got their headband off," Darcy suggested. "Could be a lot of things".

Isabella didn't add her own thoughts, instead subtly scouting around.

"I hope you have a better plan than to just shank the guy in front and then legging it," Darcy whispered. "Because otherwise, you're not getting far".

"Oh, like you have a better idea," Isabella quietly hissed back.

"As a matter of fact, playing nice seems to be working well so far," Darcy replied. "Then again, I'm not currently planning on breaking any more laws, so maybe it just comes easier to me".

"Oh do shut up," Isabella loudly hissed.

"All three of you, calm down," the guard gently ordered. "You'll all be back in..." Then the wall to his left exploded, flinging him across the hall.

"Why isn't there a map anywhere?" Darkar grumbled as he waltzed through the hole. "Honestly, how does anyone find their way around here? The set design is ridiculous". He suddenly noticed the three shocked witches. In a moment of realization, the Shadow Phoenix exclaimed: "There you are! I've been looking all over for you three".

"You... Have?" Maria asked. "Wha... Who are you?"

"Ah, I am the lord of Shadowhaunt, the master of darkness, wielder of the black flame, the one and only Shadow Phoenix, Darkar," he dramatically revealed.

"I suppose that was meant to mean something to us," Darcy mused.

Darkar's hellish red orbs rolled around in their sockets as he sighed and said: "To make things simple, I'm the head honcho of the bad guys. I'm looking for a squad of quirky minions to do my bidding, as I search for a way to take over all the worlds".

"Of course," Darcy said slowly. "Excuse me a moment, we'll need to chat".

"Take your time," Darkar permitted.

"Alright, so he's obviously nuts," Darcy quietly stated as the group huddled together. "But he's our best shot at getting out now".

"I like him," Isabella said. "He's got style. Plus, at least by going with him I won't have to sully my dignity like you're doing, Darcy".

"I'm not sure," Maria said. "It's not like this will make things better for us, not to mention that this guy looks like something out of a kids cartoon. I mean, really, nobody calls themselves the bad guy without having a screw or two loose".

"We probably shouldn't be too hasty here," Darcy mumbled. "You're right, he does sound... Well, a bit out of touch with reality, but I think it would be prudent if we first hear what he's offering before we start judging whether or not he's too crazy to join up with". She turned away from the group huddle and asked: "Okay, could we get some more details about this job of yours? Because just saying that you're the villain isn't much of a job offer".

"Certainly. You'll be quartered in my own personal castle of Shadowhaunt, allowed to raze and pillage as much as you like while carrying out my orders and you'll be allowed to boss my mooks around," Darkar explained.

Darcy returned to the group huddle and said: "As I said, he's nuts, but if he can back that up, he could call himself the ghost of Harvey Cooldown for all I care".

"But, do we really want to go with a madman?" Maria asked. "Seriously, look at how he dresses. Guys a fucking fruit-loop if I ever saw one".

"Stormy, we're in a nuthouse. We're already among madmen and fruit-loops," Icy argued. "At least this one has something better to offer than just sitting here".

"Besides, I'm pretty sure none of us are mentally well balanced," Darcy pointed out. "Look, if he can get us what we want, then the rest shouldn't matter. Yes, he's bonkers, but that might not be such bad thing after all".

"I'm still not so sure," Maria said. "I mean, I was told I was making a lot of progress..."

Icy rolled her eyes and Darcy said: "Well, it is up to you. But let me just remind you that your parents only paid any attention to you when you were a dangerous member of the Usurper Trio. Now that you are seemingly back to normal, their work is done and you shouldn't be expecting to see them any time soon".

Maria stared at Darcy for a long while, before sighing and sadly saying: "Sometimes, I hate how well you know me".

"I think we're ready to serve," Darcy said as she got up from the group huddle.

"Right. Follow me then," Darkar said as he walked out of the hole. "I can transport you from the courtyard".

The three followed him, getting lost a couple of times, before Darkar found the right set of holes that led them to the courtyard. Where several of the guards and monks of Lightrock awaited.

"You are under arrest for breaking and entering, harming officials at work and planning to kidnap our patients," the captain, the man with impressive beard, declared. "Surrender now or we will use force to put you under arrest".

"How cute, bit characters," Darkar declared. "Very well then. New minions, lay them to waste". After a short pause, he turned and asked: "Well?"

"Are you kidding?" Icy asked frustratedly. "We can't do magic with these on, and even if we could, these guys are trained to take down magi".

"Hmm, I see. That could be..." Darkar started, but was interrupted by the captain loudly ordering: "TAKE THEM DOWN, NOW!"

Several of the guards moved in to put a stop to the escape attempt.

"How rude," Darkar declared, snapping his fingers and causing a wall of obsidian flames to bar the way. "Don't they know they're supposed to wait until we're done talking before they attack? I'm surrounded by amateurs". He turned to the witches and said: "Now then, I need strong minions. Therefore, I'm going to lend you a bit of my power. It should be interesting to see what you can do with it". He stretched his hands, and tendrils of black flames flowed from them.

"Hey, I'm not too sure about..." Stormy started, but her protests died in her throat as the tendrils pierced her body, filling her with a rush of energy. It was over in seconds, but the tingle of energy remained. She flexed her hand, currents of electricity dancing up and down her arm. "I can... I can do magic again," she stated in utter surprise.

"And that's despite the headbands," Darcy noted. "Impressive".  
>"I feel... Like there's more of me than there's ever been before," Icy said in slight awe.<p>

"Right. Can we go back to the part where you three make a joke out of the redshirts?" Darkar asked, lowering the walls of flame. Behind it, it seemed that the guards had tried dousing the fire with water to no effect. The moment they saw the invader and escapees, they charged, ready to wrestle them to the ground.

Two of them lounged for Darcy, who suddenly melted into the ground, leaving the guards to tumble into the grass. Moments later, a shadow snaked across the grass before Darcy rose out of it. "Well that's new," she muttered.

Meanwhile, three others went for Stormy, who in a fit of instinctive panic lashed out with her hands, causing the guards to be blown across the courtyard by a miniature tornado.

The guard captain went for Icy while accompanied by two guards. Seeing her friends' new capabilities, the white haired witch smirked, reached out with her hands and concentrated. The three officials stopped, a numbing pain spreading through their... Well, not their body. Suddenly, all passion for their job and all desire to do it just died out. They sat down on the grass, each trying to figure out why they were even doing their job in the first place.

"An excellent performance," Darkar declared. "But let us go. More of the unimportant supporting characters are on their way. I shall transport us all back to my domain". He exploded in black flames that enveloped the three witches and the Shadow Phoenix took off towards the horizon.


	3. Into the Depths

Chapter 3: Into the Depths

Gentle sunlight streamed into the hospital wing, as Aisha lay in her bed and observed stray particles of dust as they gently floated through the air. Glim was laying on the windowsill, seeming a bit bored. There was a knock on the door and Aisha said: "Come in".

"Hello, Aisha," Faragonda greeted as she entered. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling just fine, thank you," the princess said. "There just isn't a whole lot to do here".

"That's just part of being hospitalized I'm afraid," Faragonda said with a kind smile. "Now, I've been in contact with your father and he agreed with me that it would be best to keep you here until we are certain you have recovered".

"If he thinks that it is for the best," Aisha said neutrally.

Faragonda looked at her for a few seconds with an unreadable expression, before asking: "How is life back home?"

"It's going as it should, as far as I am aware," the brunette said.

"Care to elaborate?" the headmistress asked.

"I'm doing well in my classes and everything else seems to be in order," Aisha replied.

Faragonda rubbed her chin for a moment, before asking: "And what have you learned in school so far?"

"Lots of very important things," Aisha said. "Like, what kind of dress is important for what occasion, what type of cutlery to use for certain dishes, how to talk to people based on what they are, a bit of magic and how to properly dance".

"I see," Faragonda said, her tone very even. "Do you have any friends your age?"

"Well, I talk a lot with my cousins when they visit," Aisha said. "So I guess they're my friends".

"I see," Faragonda replied once more. "By the way, Ophelia and I have been talking and while you haven't entirely recovered, we believe that there's no longer any need to keep you here. So if you want to have it, we have found a room for you".

"Oh. That's good," the princess said.

"One of our students was kind enough to offer to show you your new room," Faragonda continued. "Normally, it would have been one of the teachers' job, but we have a very important meeting coming up".

"That's okay. Meetings are important," the princess said understandingly, though also a bit redundantly.

"You have a good day now," Faragonda said as she turned to leave the room.

"Will the pixies be rescued?" Aisha asked concernedly.

"The pixies?" Faragonda asked, turning around.  
>"I only managed to get Glim out, more by luck than anything else," Aisha admitted. "The others are still kept prisoner by Darkar. It doesn't feel right to just leave them".<p>

"I know. And we do not plan on just leaving them down there," Faragonda said comfortingly. "Don't worry, we have several people who are already working together on a proper plan of action".

"But how long will it take?" Aisha asked insistently.

"I can see where this is going," Faragonda stated. "You're concerned for the pixies and think something should be done now. Once upon a time, I would probably have agreed with you. But experience has taught me that it is best to plan things out. A failed operation might be infinitely worse than a delayed one".

"But... It just doesn't feel right," Aisha said sadly.

"I know," Faragonda added sympathetically. "It never does. Sadly, I doubt it is as easy as just waltzing in and grabbing the pixies. And now, I really must be going". With that, the headmistress left.

Aisha rubbed her chin before quietly asking herself: "There must be a way?" She suddenly noticed that Glim was staring at her. "What?" she asked.

"Bad idea," the pixie warned.

...

"Alright, so what do we know of this... Darkar?" Palladium asked. He and the rest of the staff had assembled in Faragonda's office.

"That whomever named him was as subtle as a brick to the face," Wizgiz commented.

"It would not surprise me if it turned out that Darkar named himself," Faragonda stated. "From what I have heard, he has a sense of theatrics".

"Do we know where 'e's from?" SeFogelia asked.

"Yes," Faragonda sighed sadly. "Everything indicates that his lair is somewhere in Underland".

The teachers exchanged glances. "That's where Avalon was sent on his mission," Griselda realised. "Because that director's expedition had gone missing".

"Indeed. And I suspect these facts are all related," Faragonda said while pacing back and forth. "Worse, not only is he powerful, he's also very bold. We have confirmed that he attacked and kidnapped several pixies as well as the princess of Tides. But not only that. I got a call from Griffin earlier". She stopped pacing and turned to the staff. "Darkar attacked Lightrock Monastery in the middle of the day. And he took Icy, Darcy and Stormy with him when he left".

"And everything was going so well," DuFour sighed while glancing at the ceiling.

"Do we have any idea what his plan is? Do we even know what he is?" Griselda asked.

"I have sent requests around for information. Until we know more, we can only wait," Faragonda said. "I've also talked with Saladin and he's planning preliminary operations. His advice is that we have to remain calm, but also that we must be on guard. Whatever this Darkar's plan is, he has shown that he is willing to use overwhelming force. He may be insane, but that does not diminish the threat he poses".

...

Bloom looked up from the newspaper she was reading, as Stella entered the common room, followed by Aisha.

"Listen up, Bloom," Stella said enthusiastically. "Aisha is going to stay here".

"Really? That's great news," Bloom said, folding the paper. "I would have thought you would have been sent home".

"They say I'm not done recuperating just yet," Aisha replied. "So they gave me a room here while I recover".

"How long will you be staying?" Stella asked.

"Five minutes," the dark-skinned girl replied matter-of-factly.

The two other girls stared at her for a couple of seconds.

"Wait, if you're only here for a couple of minutes, why even give you a room?" Bloom asked, thoroughly confused.

"It's not because I'm healthy. It's because I must save the pixies," Aisha insisted.

"Come again?" Stella asked, scratching her head.

"The pixies are in danger because they tried to attend a meeting with me. As a royal, I have a responsibility to provide protection when I ask for a meeting," Aisha explained. "I have failed at that task and must make up for it".

"Well, aren't Faragonda going to do something?" Bloom asked.

"She's busy talking with people about planning," the brunette said. "But my Dad has always taught me that in these cases, you have to act decisively, otherwise your enemies will see you as weak".

"So your plan is to, like, just storm off to wherever this Darkar guy hangs out and then free the pixies all by yourself?" Stella asked incredulously.

"I don't have time to wait for another escort," Aisha stated. "Besides, as long as I stay away from Darkar and his monsters, I should be safe".

"Should being the operative word," Stella remarked.

"Well, that's just too dangerous for you to do alone," Bloom said. "We're coming too".

"That's right. You can't... I... Wait... Huh?" the Solarian princess asked, turning to Bloom. "Did... Did you just volunteer us to go to some madman's castle to free a bunch of pixies?"

"I would be most grateful for the assistance," Aisha said.

"Aisha's right, we can't just sit here and do nothing," Bloom insisted. "Come on. It can't be worse than our trip to Domino. Or Cloud Tower. Or Melmamora. Or the other trip to Cloud Tower. Or the other trip to Melmamora, you know, the one with the Red Willow".

"That's, like, so not comforting," Stella sighed. "Look, don't get me wrong, I tots think those pixies should be saved, pronto, but I'm not that sure that we're qualified".

"All we gotta do is sneak in and break the pixies out," Bloom said. "Aisha's right. As long as we don't challenge Darkar himself, I'm pretty sure we should be okay".

"I must admit, last year totally managed to deflate the whole idea of 'charge straight into adventure';" Stella said. "But I guess you're right. If everyone else are just twiddling their thumbs, then I guess we have to do something".

"Exactly," Bloom said. "Should we bring the others?"

"Both Flora and Musa will tots inform the teachers if they find out," Stella said. "And Techna went off to buy something in town, so she won't be home for a couple of hours".

"Not good. The longer we wait, the bigger the risk of us getting caught," Bloom said, her brows furrowed. "We should get dressed, get some survival gear and then go".

"Survival gear?" Aisha asked. "Like what?"

"Well, what would you bring to an expedition underground?" Bloom asked.

"My chef," Aisha earnestly replied.

The redhead stared for a moment, before advising: "I think you should give her a hand, Stella. We can probably use some of the gear Flora advised us to get".

...

"These clothes are awful," Aisha insisted as they sneaked out through the main gate. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like this in a proper fashion magazine".

All three were clad in thick, warm khaki-coloured clothes, solid boots and hardhats with flashlight on.

"I know," Stella sighed. "But it's tots better than being gnawed by bugs, soaked to the bone and then losing your shoes to a mud pool".

"Did... Did that really happen?" the brunette asked.

"It did," Stella confirmed. "When we went to Melmamora. It was horrible".

"Did you ever get your shoe back?" Aisha asked concerned.

"Nope. It's still out there," Stella said sadly.

"My condolences," Aisha said sympathetically.

"It's just a shoe," Bloom grumbled while pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Don't mind her. She means well, but she tots doesn't understand," Stella said to the brunette, causing the redhead to groan.

The group found a forest trail and followed it until Alfea disappeared from view.

"Okay, so which direction?" Bloom asked as they continued down the trail.

Aisha looked at the two, before she admitted: "I'm not entirely sure".

"You're not?" Stella asked surprised.

"Well, I was somewhat confused at the time. Glim might have remembered it better than me, but I'm pretty sure she would have tried to stop me," Aisha explained.

"Alright, but do you at least have an idea of where you came out?" Bloom asked.

"Vaguely," Aisha replied.

"We did bring a map," Stella pointed out.

"Alright, so if we know roughly the direction, then we could check for landmarks that are likely to have caves," Bloom suggested.

"Like the nearby gorge," Sky suggested.

"Right, that would be a good place to start. Thanks Sky," Bloom replied.

"No problem," the blond prince said.

Then Bloom froze, looked to the side and asked: "Sky?"

"That's me," he said cheerfully.

Walking parallel to the group was Sky, Riven and Brandon, who had managed to sneak up on the girls.

"Out for a picnic?" Riven cheekily asked.

"Yes. Yes we are," Stella said.

"You're going on a picnic... Wearing hardhats?" Sky asked slightly confused.

"It's one of those hardcore picnics you hear about all the time," Brandon jokingly explained. "Seriously though, where are you going dressed like that?"

"What's it to you?" Stella asked.

"Let's see," Riven replied, adopting an exaggerated thinking pose. "You're bringing along spelunking equipment and the girl who was kidnapped and brought to Underland alongside a bunch of pixies. Could you possibly be staging an improvised rescue mission?"

"And what if we are?" Bloom asked. "Somebody has to do something".

Brandon sighed and said: "And what do you girls think we're here for?"

"Wait, did Saladin only, like, send you three?" Stella asked. "Why would he only send you three? There's no way you're qualified for this".

A moment of awkward silence followed.

"Gee, sorry that our two years in a military academy doesn't make us nearly as qualified as your one year of learning how to make your hair smell like flowers," an obviously insulted Riven mocked, to which Stella responded by sticking out her tongue.

"Though my comrade lacks tact, he does have a point," Brandon brought up. "You three are not qualified for this, even though you did get some experience last year," he quickly pointed out. "But the fact is, us from Red Fountain have both experience and military training. Something Alfea does not provide".

"Also, we're not out here to free the pixies," Sky pointed out. "We were sent here to scout out nearby cave openings that once lead to Underland. See if they're still a viable point of entry".

"See, so don't you three worry, we're on the case," Brandon said.

"That means you ladies can go home now and have a tea party or whatever," Riven said dismissively.

The three girls responded with very dissatisfied looks.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Brandon asked in exasperated realisation.

"You know, we could always bring them along for the mission," Sky suggested. "I mean, they have some experience and if it helps convince them that things are being taken care of, then that would be great".

"Dragging civilians along on a military operation. Are you even listening to yourself?" Brandon asked. "I'm pretty sure we could go back a grade for pulling a stunt like that".

"Then what? We fling them over our shoulders and haul them back to the ship?" Riven asked.

One look from the girls convinced the boys that that solution was less than healthy.

"Well, if we don't let them tag along, they'll go anyway," Sky pointed out.

"Point taken," Brandon sighed. "Alright, how about this. You can come along on our scouting mission, if you promise to do as you're told and come back with us once we're done. If you refuse, then I don't care if you set me on fire, I'll drag you back to Alfea like a sack of roos".

"That's, like, probably the best offer we'll get," Stella said.

"Alright, we promise," Bloom said. "I assume you know the way?"

"That we do. Let's move out," Brandon said.

As they walked up the trail, Bloom asked: "So, where is Timmy by the way?"

"He's back in the owl," Sky explained. When he noticed Bloom's confused look, he clarified: "That's the standard Red Fountain vessel. You've seen them a couple of times".

"It's a lot bigger than I remembered," Aisha said, staring down the massive rift in the earth.

The group had made their way into a more hilly area, where they had found the gorge Sky had mentioned earlier.

"If you were carried by the stream at the bottom of the gorge, then you probably ended up in the low end, down there," Brandon said and pointed. "Now, Riven, you're on relay duty".

"Huzzah. I love telephone-pole duty," Riven mumbled without an ounce of enthusiasm.

"Relay?" Stella asked.

"Caves often cause signal interference," Brandon explained. "Which means that odds are we won't be able to transmit directly to Timmy. Now, since we're just going to take a peek, we can instead transmit to Riven, who will then send any messages to Timmy. That way, we can stay in contact".

"Oh. That pretty smart," Bloom said.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, it requires that somebody stays topside and babysits the phone," Riven grumbled.

"You're only complaining because the babysitter is you," Sky pointed out.

"True. And?" Riven asked.

Sky mulled over the question before replying: "And I got nothing. Just wanted to point it out".

"If you're done stating the obvious, could you help me with the rope?" Brandon asked as he unpacked a rope from his backpack.

"Sure thing," the Eraklian prince said as he started assisting.

"Okay, here's the plan," Brandon began as he fastened the rope. "On the side of the gorge is a cave that's believed to be an entrance into Underland. We're going to scout it out, check if it's a viable opening, report and then go home as heroes. Understood?"

"Yes, yes, what do you take us for?" Stella asked.

"Three teenagers who thought they alone held the power to defeat the bad guy and rescue the innocent," Riven snarked.  
>"I think I saw that in a movie once," Bloom commented.<p>

"Alright, rope is ready," Brandon said. "Who goes first?"

"I'll do it," Stella said.

"Right. Use this belt to fasten yourself," Brandon said while handing the blonde the equipment in question, before empathetically adding: "And please be careful".

"Don't be such a worrywart," Stella said nonchalantly. "I tots got this. Okay, here we go". Slowly, she lowered herself down the edge of the gorge. Moments later, she suddenly screamed.

"WHAT'S WRONG?!" Brandon asked as he more or less threw himself to the edge so he could look down.

"I lost it," Stella wailed.

"Lost what?" Brandon asked.

"My make-up kit," came the reply.

Neither Sky nor Bloom could help but bend over from laughter, as Riven called: "Quick, Brandon. Dive into the gorge and save your beloved princess' make-up".

"Dear, I'm sure you have thousands of make-up kits," Brandon said in an exasperated tone while rubbing his temples.

"But I only brought one," Stella argued.

"Please just get down to the cave," the squire groaned.

Minutes later, everybody sans Riven had made their way to the rocky shelf that allowed them to enter the caves.

"Alright, I'll take point. Sky, bring up the rear," Brandon said as he turned on his flashlight. "And everyone, be quiet from now on. We don't want to risk being detected".

"So, how deep are we going?" Bloom quietly asked as they entered, the flashlight casting sinister shadows on the walls around them.

"We have to make sure this isn't just a dead end," Brandon explained. "But I can't give you specifics. We'll just have to see what we find".

"Ouch. Can't you, like, turn that light up a notch?" Stella asked. "I just banged into one of those pointy hanging rock thingies".

"Sorry, but we risk enough as it is," Brandon replied. "The more light we spread, the bigger the risk".

"My ankles are getting sore from mis-stepping on this uneven floor," Aisha complained. "Seriously, whomever lives here should get it fixed".

"See, I'm not the only one suffering," Stella pointed out.

"Sadly, the military doesn't care a lot about comfort," Sky added, rubbing his knee. "I just banged into something too, but that's just how it has to be. We want to be subtle".

"Right. Subtle. I think we caWHOA!" Stella yelled as she stumbled over a rock and crashed to the floor. Furiously, she exclaimed: "THAT'S IT!" while getting up. "I WANT LIGHT!" With a flash, her ring shifted into a sceptre, which glowed, illuminating the entire cavern. "See, much better," she said with self-satisfaction.

Suddenly, there was a roar, and from the dark opening in the cavern walls slithered forth Darkar's shelled monsters.

"Yes. A real improvement," Brandon said dryly.

"Ups," Stella said, embarrassedly twiddling her fingers.

The monsters reared their long, wormy necks, before launching globs of slime at the intruders.

"Those are the same monsters Darkar had at his castle," Aisha pointed out as the group took cover behind large rocks, globs of glue-like slime splattering against their surroundings.

Bloom peaked out and sent a fireball through the air, which incinerated the head on one of the monsters.

"Keep them back," Brandon ordered while activating his communicator. "Riven, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear," came the reply. "What's going on down there? I'm hearing a lot of really ugly noises".

"Darkar has posted guards and we have been spotted," Brandon said. "They outnumber us and have cut us off from the entrance. We're falling back deeper into the caves. Send an SOS to HQ, stat".

"Will do. Good luck," Riven replied.

"Alright, follow me," Brandon called, and the group rushed deeper into the caves, the pale monsters scurrying after them.

...

Minutes later, the group was still hurrying down the tunnel, deeper into the earth.

"Those things are persistent," Sky noted as he threw a glance over his shoulder, where he noticed the shadows of the approaching monsters.

"Right. But they are slow. We can use that to our..." Brandon started, before he suddenly halted, staring at the iron double door in front of them. A tuck at the handles confirmed that the doors were locked, causing him to mutter: "Well, crud".

"Don't worry. I got this," Stella said and pointed her sceptre. Nothing happened. "I... I don't understand," she said confused, as the brunette squire studied the door.

"Anti-magic," he said as he noticed several sigils in the frame. "Looks like we better bring out some technology. Alright, all of you, hold those creatures off".

"Gotcha," Stella said as she hurried to the back, were the others got ready.

"Alright, you three hit them at range. I'll take care of them if they get close," Sky said, readying his sword and shield.

Bloom and Stella started launching fireballs and lasers, while Aisha pelted the attackers with whatever droplets of water that were nearby.

One of the creatures whipped its neck, launching a wad of goo that caught Stella in the chest and flung her back.

"Dear Solaris, this is disgusting!" she exclaimed. She tried to move, before noticing that the goop had glued her to the wall. "And it's tots sticky too," she grumbled as she began cutting herself free with a laser.

"Alright. V7 Barrier Buster, ready to go," Brandon called as he moved away from the door. There was a barely noticeable puff, as the lock and everything in a few centimetres around it ceased to be. "Alright, let's move, people," the squire called as he kicked open the doors.

Sky chopped of the head of one of the advancing creatures, before falling back. He blocked a shot of sticky slime with his shield, before following the group through the door, which he and his squire then immediately forced shut. Brandon attached another gadget to the door, which detonated seconds later, covering the iron in fuchsia gel. There was a banging on the door as the monsters tried forcing their way through. "Morphix grenade," the squire explained. "Good for gluing things together".

"And it's pretty," Stella said gleefully.

"Didn't those barrier busters use to be a lot more powerful?" Bloom questioned.

"The V7 version has more refined fine tuning of the explosion," Brandon explained. "In this case, I just wanted the lock gone. Alright, enough chit chat. The morphix will dissolve in ten minutes. I suggest we get moving. With luck, we can find another path to the surface".

As the group moved down the underground path, away from the banging at the iron door, the tunnel began changing. Set in the walls were crystals in all the colours of the rainbow, which was reflected on the cavern walls as the light from the flashlight hit them.

"This place is pretty," Aisha said. "I wouldn't mind having a couple of those as decorations for my room".

"I wonder if they would look good incorporated into a dress," Stella pondered.

"If you could get the colours to match for once," Bloom cheekily suggested.

"Right, keep hitting the sore... Can you hear that?" Stella asked.

"Sounds like wind. Or maybe water," Brandon guessed The group exited an opening and found themselves on a rocky shelf above a deep hole.

"Long fall," Sky commented as he looked down over the edge.

"There are more shelves up the sides of the shaft," Brandon said as he pointed with his flashlight. "We could probably use our..."

His suggestion drowned in the snarling of beasts, as two of the turtle-esque monsters made their way towards the group from the tunnel they had just exited.

"Not this again," Bloom groaned as she threw another fireball.

The first of the monsters withdrew its neck into its shell, causing the flames to dissipate harmlessly against it.

The other launched one of their characteristic balls of goop, which sailed over the heads of the group as they ducked.

The first rushed and tried to get to Bloom, but Sky tackled it with his shield. Pressing it against its side at an angle, he managed to tip the beast over with a grunt of exertion, allowing it to be easily dispatched.

The other swayed its head to dodge a blast from Stella, before it rushed towards Brandon, who was standing between it and the blonde. It reared up on its hind-legs and tried to smash Brandon to the ground with its considerable bulk. Brandon adjusted his sword, causing the beast to impale itself, the creature roaring in pain as the blade pierced its shell.

"Alright, got it," Brandon wheezed, the heavy weight of the impaled creature causing his arms to buckle. Suddenly, the stone under him cracked like glass. Before either he or Stella could react, the combined weight of them and the monsters caused the shelf under them to collapse.

"STELLA!" Bloom exclaimed.  
>"BRANDON!" Sky shouted.<p>

With a scream and a yell, Stella and Brandon tumbled into the darkness below.


	4. Amentia

Chapter 4: Amentia

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," Bloom gasped close to panic and she stared down into the dark abyss below them. "What do we do? What do we do?"

"We follow them. And quickly," Sky said as he fastened a rope to the edge of the ledge. "I'll go first. You two follow as soon as you're able". With those words, the Eraklian prince started his slide down into the darkness below.

"I'll go next," the redhead said and followed the blond, the brunette princess going down soon after.

The bottom of the shaft, now illuminated by Sky's flashlight, was a grey and dismal hole, the walls covered in moisture. Moss, lichen and fungi covered the rocky walls. A fast flowing river cut through the middle and continued deeper into the darkness of the caves.

"No trace of them," Sky stated as he finished looking around. "Most likely they fell into the river".

"Then we gotta follow," Bloom said, stepping towards the waters.

"Not so fast. Going for a swim will just bring us in danger too," Sky pointed out. "It seems to be full of rocks and the stream is fast. We'll be beaten to pulps if we try swimming".

"But there's no path along the water," Bloom argued.

"No, but there are other tunnels," the blond prince replied, gesturing with his flashlight. "We should be able to follow the river somewhat and hopefully find the others".

"And the pixies?" Aisha asked as she finally managed to get down the rope.

"Okay, maybe we weren't clear on this, but we aren't here to get the pixies out," Sky clarified. "And right now, even if we were here to rescue the pixies, getting Stella and Brandon out is more important".

"I suppose you're right," Aisha slowly agreed.

"Indeed. Come on, we have to hurry. The longer we wait, the worse it'll be for them," Sky said before marching down one of the caves.

...

Brandon gasped as he managed to force his head above the water again. He could feel a massive bruise developing on his back after bashing against a rock. He lifted his flashlight, thanking every divinity he'd ever heard of that it was waterproof, and its light illuminated the rapidly passing cavern walls, as the squire hurtled down the river. "STELLA!" he managed to yell over the roar of water, as he was hurled down the current.

"Over here!" the Solarian princess managed to loudly gasp from somewhere ahead.

Brandon gritted his teeth as he crashed against another rock, the blow almost dislocating his shoulder. He waved the flashlight and caught a glimpse of blonde hair. He pocketed the flashlight and moved his arms and legs, managing to push himself ahead in the water and reached for the blonde. He grabbed her flailing arm and managed to get a look at her. Blood seeped from a wound on her head.

"Hold on!" he called and he felt the blonde's grasp tighten as she heeded his advice. He lashed out with his other arm and caught a passing rock. He tightened his grip, the combined pull of both himself and his girlfriend almost ripping his arm out of its socket. He could feel his tendons protest and his arm was stretched by the force of the water around them.

"Brandon... What are... We going... To do?" Stella asked as she fought to stay above the water.

"For now, we hold on," the brunette grunted, while he scouted around for a possible ledge or anything like it to get them back on dry land.

...

"I'm home," Techna called as she waltzed into the common room, throwing her backpack on the couch.

"Hello, Techna," Flora greeted her. "Did Bloom or Stella join you on your trip perchance?"

"No, they didn't," Techna replied. "Have they gone missing again?"

"It would seem so. So far, I have been unable to contact them," the brunette replied. "They are not even responding to phone calls".

At that moment, Musa walked in, looking like she was trying to pinch her nose off, followed by a very stern looking Griselda. Well, more stern looking than usual.

"Alright, who screwed the pooch?" Techna asked upon seeing their expressions.

"Bloom and Stella," Musa groaned. "You're not going to believe this".

"I assume this will reveal why the two of them have disappeared," Flora guessed.

"We've just gotten word from Red Fountain," Griselda started. "It would seem that Ms. Peterson and Ms. Guildenstern decided to join Ms. Hadith in an ill thought out rescue mission".

"You can tell she's pissed because she only uses their last names," Techna pointed out.

"Thank you for the observation, Ms. Clearwater," Griselda continued in a warning tone, causing Techna to cringe. "Now, according to what we know, they joined up with Sky and Brandon from Red Fountain, who were on a scouting mission to some nearby caves, and got cut off from the exit by Darkar's minions. They are now trapped somewhere in Underland".

Flora stared at Griselda in shock before she exclaimed: "But that... Those... They... THAT IS THE STUPIDEST THING I..." She interrupted herself to take a deep breath and force herself to calm down.

"If it helps, half the staff, me included, had trouble keeping the volume down," Griselda added dryly.

"Sorry, but you would think they would have learned something from last year," Flora groaned, massaging her temples. "Do they honestly think they live in a comic book? They do not even have the slightest of the necessary training. I would be better qualified for the job and I would still be a bad choice for it, since I am not trained for such a task".

"Not to mention they didn't bring me," Techna grumbled. As she noted the others staring, she asked: "What? I'd love to go on some hectic adventure in some awesome cave system".

"You would," Musa commented. "So, hopefully Sky and Brandon can take care of them until they can drag them back to Alfea".

...

Brandon felt like his limbs were on fire. Every single joint in his arms pulsated with agony and his skin began to feel like it had turned into one big bruise. The rest of his body was progressively getting colder and number, as freezing cave water sloshed around him. Worse, there was no way out of the river. No ledges or anything similar to grab unto.

"What... What are we going to do?" Stella gasped, still clinging to her boyfriend's hand.

"I... I don't... We have to follow the stream," Brandon realised.

"WHAT!" Stella exclaimed.

"Look, the longer... The longer I hang on, the weaker I'll get. When the water finally forces me off this rock, I might be too weak to swim," Brandon explained, struggling to avoid getting a mouthful of water. "And there is no way up. But if... If we let go now, we at least have a... A chance to get up later".

"Al... Alright. If you say so," Stella said, although it was clear from the look in her eyes that the prospect terrified her.

"Alright. On three," Brandon said. "One, two, three". At the final count, he let go of the rock and the two of them tumbled down the river once more. Stella clung to Brandon's hand, as they bopped up and down the water's surface.

"Just... Hold on," Brandon said as they were forced down the stream. He was smashed with great force against a rock and he felt his ribs buckle as the flashlight in his front pocket was crushed, plunging the two of them into darkness.

"Brandon! The light!" Stella called.

The squire opened his mouth to reassure her, but his head collided with something hard, knocking the consciousness out of him.

...

"Hey, I think I recognise that tunnel," Aisha said and pointed.

"Wait, did we already pass through here?" Bloom questioned.

"I don't know. Every single part of this looks exactly same," Sky said in frustration, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Yeah, whomever live here should put up some signs," Aisha added with a serious nod.

"I can only agree," Bloom said as the group trudged down another cave. "Are we at least following the river?"

"Roughly;" Sky said, taking a look at his compass. "But it's hard to judge. The river could turn or go further down and we'd have no way to know".

"This is going to get worse before it gets better, isn't it?" Bloom asked, though it was obvious from her tone that she already knew the answer.

"'Fraid so," Sky noted.

"Hey, I think I recognise that tunnel," Aisha said and pointed, causing her two companions to sigh.

...

Slowly, consciousness seeped into Brandon's tired head. His entire body protested his awakening, demanding that he return to sleep. But he knew he couldn't. Slowly, he forced his heavy eyelids open. Light from glowing crystals caused him to wince, as his brain fought to interpret the blurry mess that was his vision. He realised he was laying on something. It felt like either coarse sand or very fine gravel. He struggled to move, jolts of pain leaping through his nerves at every twitch of his muscles. He felt completely beaten, as if his entire body has been used as a jump-rope by a clumsy ogre. Slowly, the blurry mess started to clear and shapes started to solidify.

And that's when Brandon saw it.

Two great lidless, black eyes observed him, attached to a scaly face, a forked tongue darting in and out between its lips at regular intervals. As his vision adjusted, he saw the rest of the creature's body, vaguely humanoid, with a hunched form covered in scales, a tail swishing back and forth behind it. Most of the scales were dark colours of the deep earth, with some coloured a light blue. The creature was clad in sparse clothes, just enough to attach a variety of pouches and bags to.

"This one seems alive," it hissed delightfully and looked up.

Despite his muscles begging him not two, Brandon turned to see whom the lizard-man was talking too. The first thing he noticed was Stella, her skin completely pale and filled with numerous wounds, some of them still dripping blood. Behind her stood another lizard-man, this one much larger and more muscular, easily dwarfing its companion. Some of its scales were a fiery orange and the creature carried a massive metal club. The big lizard grunted in affirmation and moved to pick up Stella.

"Don't... Touch her," Brandon groaned and fought to get up.

The big lizard's reaction was immediate, its thick and muscular tail crashing down on Brandon, knocking all the air out of his lungs as he was forced into the sand beneath him.

"Abrupto, calm down," the blue-tinged lizard admonished. "We're trying to help them, not completely break them".

"He was getting ready to attack," the muscular one growled.

"He was confused and scared," the blue-tinged insisted. "Typical orange behaviour. Hit things first and question it later".

"Look, one more comment about my scales and you can drag these two back home yourself," the big one growled warningly.

"Fine, fine," the blue-tinged one said and looked down on Brandon. "Listen, just remain calm. We'll try to help you".

The big lizard picked the two fallen humans up in its arms and began carrying them down a tunnel, its smaller comrade at its side.

"Where... Are you taking us?" Brandon managed to ask.

"To the capital," the blue-tinged responded. "The city of Domum. Ever heard of it?"

"I'm not... Sure," Brandon said. "Who... What are you?"

"Troglodytes. I'm not surprised you've never heard of us. We do not have a lot of dealings with you people from the surface," the blue-tinged troglodyte said. "My name is Sponsus and my companion here is Abrupto".

The big lizard grunted in a way that could probably be translated as an affirmation. After some more walking, he continued with actual words by saying: "Shall we bring them before the royals?"

"Not immediately, no. They'll need to rest," Sponsus said. "But we can bring them up there when I have to deliver her flowers". The last sentence was said as a happy sigh, as the blue-tinged troglodyte somehow managed to seem a bit doe eyed.

"Here we go again;" the big one grunted in annoyance.

"Not only will I deliver her the rare flowers we gathered, but I will also show her my selflessness, by helping two wounded surfacers," Sponsus continued, lost in his own thoughts. "Surely, my beloved will see in my acts that I am worthy of her radiance and perhaps return to me my pure love, though it may never be as pure as her beauty and brilliance and..."

"Would you shut up?!" Abrupto exclaimed in annoyance. "I swear, you blues are just incapable of not puking your sappy love stories all over the place. It's like you never get that perhaps not everyone wants to hear about how sad you are".

"You're just saying that because you're orange," Sponsus said defensively. "You can't understand the pure love we have".

Brandon cringed as he started to fear he was going to end up in the middle of a lizard brawl. He wasn't sure if he could handle that, though he was pretty sure Stella couldn't. She still hadn't woken up, slowly breathing in the big troglodyte's grasp.

"I understand that if you crack another comment about my scales, you will lose yours," the orange-tinted one shot back.

"Oh, so you can take cheap shots at my colours, but it's wrong when I do it?" Sponsus asked. "Well, at least your hypocrisy is your own, huh?"

The big troglodyte growled, but did not otherwise respond, continuing to march through the caves.

Sponsus sighed and said: "Look, I know you're not her biggest fan right now, but I really do love her. I'm sorry for making it all about your scales and I'm sorry for going on like that. I know it's a bad habit of mine".

After a moment, Abrupto replied with: "Likewise".

"Great. Now that you're not about to flay each other anymore, can I ask you something?" Brandon asked. "What's with the whole colour talk?"

"Troglodytes are born with different colours. They mean different things," Sponsus replied. "Oranges, for example, are big and strong, while blues are devoted and loyal. Then there's the yellow, who are clever and flexible".

"That's only the men," Abrupto grunted.

"Right, should probably have added that," Sponsus admitted. "Thanks for pointing it out".

The orange-tinted troglodyte responded with a non-committed grunt.

They walked out of a tunnel and before them lay a massive city, constructed of great stone buildings, shaped almost like pyramids. Numerous stone houses were decorated with crystal lamps, shining in several colours, adding contrast to the dull buildings around them.

"Welcome to Domum," Sponsus said jovially, gesturing with a wide swing of his arms. "Now, let's get you to my clinic so we can get a proper look at the two of you".

...

Stella groaned as her brain slowly booted up. She felt weak, hollowed out even, a most dreadful state that was accompanied by a thundering headache, as if somebody was using her head as a bongo drum. And was using a sledgehammer to play said bongo drum.

The buzzing in her ears slowly faded and she heard what she was pretty sure was Brandon say: "...ly best if she sees me first, okay?"

"I understand," came a second, unfamiliar voice.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" a concerned Brandon asked as he leaned over her prone form, his face a blurry mess.

"Tots... Awful..." Stella weakly replied.

"Alright, that's to be expected," Brandon said. "Listen, we're in the care of Sponsus, a troglodyte. Ever heard of those?"

"No... Can't say I have," Stella said.

"Right, well the short version is that they are giant lizard people," Brandon explained. "So please don't freak out. Sponsus is a healer, so he needs to check up on you".

"Alright... I'll try," Stella mumbled as she pondered why this Sponsus guy had a spinning medical clinic.

"Alright, let's see," Sponsus said as he leaned in over Stella and the Solarian princess had to suppress a gasp as she glanced into his big, unblinking eyes. His hands hovered over her unmoving form as he stared at her with his lidless, unending gaze. It was downright unnerving, not at all helped by his tongue darting in and out every few seconds, occasionally even snaking all the way up to lick his eyes. It made the blonde feel quite vulnerable and exposed.

"Well, sadly I am unfamiliar with your bodies, so the process is slow," Sponsus admitted. "Luckily, your mate has been a wonderful aide. However, you have lost a great deal of blood. I'll place an order for some greens that can probably help you with that. Now, is there anything you need?"

"It may sound totally... Stupid all things considered," Stella slowly started. "But I'm... Really thirsty".

"Alright then. Brandon, that urn over there holds water," Sponsus said and pointed.

As the brunette squire went ahead, Stella got a chance to look around. It was a sparsely decorated room, with a bed, a window and shelves lined with various herbs and urns of what she assumed was medicinal liquid.

"Gotcha," Brandon replied and went for the urn in question. As he picked it up, he asked: "I'm curious. I know there are things growing in caves, but where do you get enough food to support a city of this size?"

"Farming colonies close to the surface," Sponsus explained as he took the urn from the squire and poured water into a clay pot. "We do also grow some plants down here in the light of the crystals, but not the same as those that grow in the light above".

"Makes sense," Brandon replied, rubbing his chin.

"The others... What about the others?" Stella asked.

"No clue I'm afraid," Brandon replied. "I talked with Sponsus here about it, but he says that he has duties to attend to here and cannot go out into the caves. We'll have to talk with the royals of the city about finding our friends".

"The two of you were very lucky that I was already on an errand out in the caves," Sponsus added. "We are forbidden from wandering outside without permission".

"Why?" Stella asked.

"Monsters have begun stalking the tunnels," Sponsus said with worry in his voice. "Monsters that haven't been seen in decades. The tunnels have always held some dangers, but the rotting ones are a rare sight".

"Those monsters in Darkar's service," Brandon clarified.

"The dark spirit that haunts the Forbidden Depths," Sponsus said gravely. "We do not go there".

"We're not even supposed to be here in the first place," Brandon sighed as he glanced out the window. After a moment, he asked: "Change of subject, why the different coloured lamps? I notice there's one on most of the houses. Do they mean anything?"

"They're there to make things easier for us males," Sponsus said. "Helps avoid misunderstandings".

"Such as?" the squire asked.

"Well, like a yellow asking to mate with one that's bonded to a blue," Sponsus replied in a tone that made it clear that this ought to be obvious.

"You'll have to elaborate," Brandon said. "We surfacers don't have anything like that".

"Well, where to start," Sponsus said, his tail waving back and forth as he began thinking things through. "The colour of a troglodyte says a lot about what they are. Blues, like me, bond to a single mate and then we stay together until death. However, both the orange and yellow cannot bond like that. Instead, they have multiple mates. Oranges usually have a harem they're comfortable with, while the yellow mates with whomever they want to. The lamps help make it clear who's welcome where. Yellow lamps means she won't mind being visited by the yellows. Blue means she's bonded with a single mate. Orange means that she's part of a harem. It makes it so much easier for everybody involved. Of course, if she wants to be left alone, she can always just turn her lamp off".

"That's... Different," Brandon replied. "Interesting, but very different".

"Don't you people signal whom you want to mate with?" the blue-tinged troglodyte asked.

"Would probably make things easier, but no, it's often a bit more complicated than that," Brandon said, scratching the back of his head. "What about you? Do you have a mate?"

"Sadly, no, though I have already bonded to one," Sponsus sighed. "But she has yet to return my affection. Not that I blame her, it would be a big decision. I hope one day to either finally be accepted or rejected, but I will be patient for my beloved, for surely one as grand as she cannot lower herself to..."

"Sponsus, I get it," Brandon interrupted. "It's not as simple as that".

"No," Sponsus sighed in agreement as he surveyed the sea of lamps in the city. "I suppose it isn't".

...

Flora walked through the door into the common room, a cage with Kiko inside in her hands.

"Finally arrived?" Musa commented, looking away from the television. "Sad that his owner isn't around to greet him".

"I am sure Kiko will manage," Flora stated as she gently put the cage down on a table. "Any news about them?"

"No. Last thing I heard was that they were sending someone to the caves, but that was half a day ago," Musa replied. She sighed, before asking: "Seriously, what were they thinking?"

"One could probably argue that they were not," Flora said, causing the black-haired girl to chuckle. "But if I had to guess, I would wager that they were concerned about the pixies and wanted to assist them now rather than later".

"Stupid," Musa stated, knocking her head back into the sofa cushion. "Why didn't they say anything?"

"Because they were well aware that we would feel obligated to stop them," Flora said as she sat down in the sofa. "They mean well, even if that does make them make some... Less than rational choices".

"You'd think they would have learned something after last year," Musa muttered.

"Perhaps last year just reinforced the lesson that action is very much necessary to get things done," Flora hypothesized.

"Well, they would be right. Action is necessary to get things done," Musa agreed. "But there's a world of difference between planning on doing something and charging in screaming your head off".

"I can only agree," Flora stated. "Hopefully, they will be able to find them all without too much trouble".

...

"I... Really wish... They had some... Elevators," an out-of-breath Stella slowly said as Brandon helped her up the long stone staircase that lead to the central building.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," Brandon reassured her as he looked up the building. "Just... A few dozen stairs or so more".

Stella groaned miserably. The blonde was still incredibly pale and despite Sponsus' care, several scars marked her skin.

In front of the two, the blue-tinged troglodyte easily scaled the stairs of the city, using both arms and legs to ease the burden. On his back was attached a bundle of what looked like crimson, thornless roses.

"So, any protocols we should know? Things that we should or should not say? Anything like that?" Brandon asked as they slowly neared the top.

"Just be nice and respectful. I am sure my beloved will show generosity to you. For she is merciful and kind, her heart as beautiful as the reddest Abyss Rose and her..." He coughed and added: "My apologies. My unfulfilled bond with her makes me terribly prone to elaborate tributes to her wonderfulness".

"We... Noticed," Stella dryly added.

The group finally ascended to a platform, high above the city. Before them lay a massive and ornately decorated building, muscular orange troglodytes in armour flanking the gates.

"What now?" Brandon asked as they stopped.

"We wait for Her Majesty to grace us," Sponsus replied in excited anticipation.

Minutes slowly passed as the group waited.

"I'm sorry, I do hope you're not getting impatient," Sponsus added apologetically, though he himself looked as excited as before, perhaps even more so.

"It's... Okay. Used to... Royal stuff taking... Five times as much... Time as it should," Stella said, using Brandon to support her wobbling knees.

Suddenly, horns were blown and the great doors opened. A procession of silk clad troglodytes danced out of the opening, weaving in and out among each other in an elaborate pattern.

"Also, lots of presentation," the brunette squire added to Stella's previous comment.

Finally, after much dancing, waving and acrobatics, the dancers lined up and a troglodyte clad in crystal covered jewellery walked down among them. The royal troglodyte was about Sponsus' size, but coloured orange instead of blue.

"Ah, princess Amentia. You grace us with you radiant presence," Sponsus declared, falling on a knee. "I have brought you a token of affection, to show you my pure and unsullied dedication to your eternal beauty". He retrieved the flowers from their spot on his back and stretched out his hands to give them to her.

"Ah, that explains why you were so eager to get out of the city," Amentia replied, her voice even though very similar to Sponsus'. It suddenly occurred to Brandon and Stella that they could neither see nor hear any difference between the troglodyte genders. "I... Appreciate the gift," she said and took the roses, before letting her tongue flick in and out above them. "They smell wonderful". She glanced up, finally noticing the two humans. "And who are they?"

"While out gathering the bounty of the abyssal roads, I stumbled upon these surfacers in trouble," Sponsus said, gesturing to the two. "I brought them to my clinic and nursed them back to health to the best of my abilities".

"How kind of you," Amentia stated, her tone as neutral as ever. "My apologies, but we have very little to do with the surface dwellers. Who are you and what are you doing in our domain?"

"This here is Princess Stella Guildenstern and I am Squire Brandon Hauser. We were chased down into the caverns and split from our group by the... Rotten ones I think you call them," Brandon explained, looking to Sponsus for confirmation. "Their leader has been attacking the surface, so we were looking for ways into his domain. Now, we just want to rejoin our friends and get back to the surface". That's when he suddenly noticed that Amentia was staring at him. More so than the troglodytes usually did. It made him feel uncomfortable for some reason.

"I sadly cannot send any to help you find your friends. The tunnels have become too dangerous," Amentia said. "But your people have my blessing to look through them themselves. That being said, I can have Her Majesty escorted back to the surface. On one condition".

"Sure," Brandon replied.

"You'll marry me," the troglodyte princess demanded.

A needle dropped to the ground would have sounded like a grenade going off in comparison to the silence that reigned in the following couple of seconds.

"What," Brandon flatly stated, more out of confusion than genuine curiosity.

"Him... Marry you?" Sponsus asked, clearly as confused as Brandon. "Wha... I mean... I do not wish to question your decisions, it just seems a bit... Sudden".

"I have my reasons," Amentia said, eyeing Brandon. "So, do we have a deal? We get married and I make sure the princess gets escorted to the surface".

The squire looked from Stella to Amentia and back again, his expression the very definition of befuddlement.

"Brandon... Don't," Stella pleaded. "We can... Get back on... Our own".

"Don't," Sponsus warned. "The caves are filled with the rotting ones, in addition to the usual dangers. You can stay at my clinic for as long as you want".

"But Stella needs proper medical care from somebody who knows the human body," Brandon sighed. "I could maybe do more for her if I had my first aid supplies, but I lost them all in the river". With a look of resignation, he turned to the troglodyte princess and said: "I accept your proposal".

Sponsus just shifted his unblinking gaze from the squire to the troglodyte princess, his lidless eyes filled with emotional turmoil.

"Very well. Abrupto, you will escort the princess back to the surface. Make sure she meets up with some other surfacers before you return".

The hulking troglodyte grunted in confirmation and stepped over to the shocked blonde.

"But... You can't..." she tried.

"You need medical attention. You lost way too much blood and, no offence to Sponsus, I don't want to take any chances with your health," Brandon explained, before quietly adding: "Don't worry. I'll try to find out why she suddenly wants me. Maybe I can fix it".

"Come. We have a wedding to plan," Amentia demanded as she returned into the castle.

"Such a romantic," the squire humourlessly quipped as he followed her into the structure, where after the great doors closed.

Sponsus fell to his knees, staring at the gates.

"What... Just happened?" Stella questioned, glancing at Abrupto with confusion in her eyes.

The massive troglodyte responded with a grunt and a shrug.

...

"Hey, I think I..." Aisha began.

"Finish that sentence and I will seriously freak out," Bloom warned as they plodded down another tunnel. Her shoulders were sagging and vexation was etched into every feature of her face.

"But it does look familiar," the brunette princess muttered.

"Everything down here does!" Bloom exclaimed in annoyance. "We're completely lost, I have no idea where our friends are and creepy monsters might jump us at any moment".

"And drawing a map really didn't help," Sky muttered and looked on the paper in his hands. The tangle of drawn tunnels on it looked distinctly non-euclidean and wouldn't have been out of place as a prop in a cosmic horror story. "But we really can't do anything but keep walking. We should find something at some point".

Bloom's stomach growled loudly and she said: "Dinner would be nice. I would even chow down on a raw roo right about now".

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree," Sky said.

"But how would we find a chef to prepare it?" Aisha questioned. "So far, we haven't seen a single kitchen down here".

Bloom was about to say something, before sighing and continuing her slow, silent march down the seemingly endless tunnels.

...

Brandon had been firmly escorted by a pair of big troglodytes, both of whom looked more than ready to start practising their chiropractic techniques at the first sign of any funny business, into a large, lavishly decorated chamber. Busts and statues of what the squire assumed to be famous people decorated much of the room, with strongly coloured tapestries decorating the walls. The doors behind the squire were roughly closed as Brandon was left alone with the rooms' other occupant.

Amentia was also there, studying one of the busts, before turning to Brandon and saying: "I assume you'd like an explanation?"

"One would certainly be appreciated," the brunette responded, wiping some dust off his shoulder.

"Right. You see, as a royal, I have certain obligations," Amentia stated.

"I think I've heard this story before," Brandon mumbled.

"And you are my loophole out of said obligations," the troglodyte princess finished.

"Right. Could you elaborate, because that's just a bit vague?" Brandon requested.

"As future regent, it is expected that I will marry a strong and powerful troglodyte," Amentia continued. "That's not the problem. The problem is that I'm expected to marry someone that will allow me to mate with other strong troglodytes, so that I can have lots of strong children".

"I think I get it," Brandon said in realisation. "You love Sponsus, but the bond he has with you is monogamous".

"The bond between us," Amentia corrected. "He wouldn't feel like he does if I didn't also. I cannot marry somebody else, I would drive myself insane with longing, but I can't marry Sponsus either, since then I wouldn't be able to mate with other troglodytes. As queen, it will be my duty to ensure the future of our line by giving birth to lots of strong children".

"Alright, I get that," Brandon said. "But then why marry me?"

"Simple. You're an outsider," Amentia explained. "There are no expectations in marrying you, no obligations. That means that I can be with Sponsus, while still not being married to him. There's no laws that says I can't as long as we keep up the pretence of a marriage. This will of course require the occasional public date and sometimes some mating, though I have no clue how compatible we are in that regard, but other than that, everybody wins".

"Except me," Brandon pointed out.

"You get to marry a princess," Amentia retorted dismissively.

"Actually, I am in a relationship with Princess Stella," Brandon said firmly. "And I only went along with this because I hoped I could somehow convince you to let me out of this crazy scheme of yours. I have no intentions of marrying you, because I love Stella and that's final".

"Hmm, how sad," Amentia said uncarin. "I'm afraid you no longer have that option. You have agreed and that agreement is final and binding. So sorry, my husband," she said with a hint of victorious glee. "You're not going anywhere".

...

"I just don't get it," Stella said sadly. She was currently sitting on the shoulders of Abrupto, as the great troglodyte marched out of the city, his sizeable club in hand.

"Who knows," he grunted in response.

"And what about Sponsus?" Stella added. "Poor guy was devastated. He couldn't even speak. I'm tots sure he would be crying his eyes out if he could".

"Crying?" the massive troglodyte asked.

"It's, like, something humans do," Stella explained. "When we're sad, water flows from our eyes".

"Huh," Abrupto grunted. "When water flows from my eyes, it's usually a sign that I've been licking them too much". He punctuated the sentence by wiping one of his eyes with his very long tongue.

"How, like, dare she anyway," Stella continued, sadness slowly being swallowed by annoyance. "I mean, I get that she's tots important, what with being a princess and stuff, but that doesn't mean she can steal my boyfriend without explanation. Oh, if I wasn't this weak, I'd give her a piece of my mind".

"She does have a habit of ruining couples," Abrupto added.

"Oh?" Stella said inquisitively. "I sense a story here".

"Hmm," her lizardly companion growled. "I have a lot of mates. Comes with being orange. But once, I had one mate in particular that I was very close to. Not close like Sponsus, but we were very good friends. Then she and several other troglodytes were sent away by the princess to other colonies because of a draught. Nobody cared about us, because I was orange and could therefore just replace her. I get why somebody had to go, because of the lack of water and food, but they would never have split a blue and his mate up. But nobody cares about how I feel, because I'm orange and can therefore just get another mate, as if I don't care for them at all". The last words were said with intense bitterness.

"Wow. I'm sorry," Stella said empathetically. "Where did they send her? Maybe you could just contact her again".  
>"I could never get them to tell, mostly because they didn't know," Abrupto responded. "Most likely they went to one of the surface farming colonies like Shacar, or maybe Jarcu. But I don't know. They just picked troglodytes at random, only caring about whether a bonded blue was involved somewhere in the process".<p>

"I'm sorry to hear that," Stella said quietly.

The two of them continued in silence towards the surface.

...

Sky and Bloom looked at Aisha.

"What?" the princess questioned.

"Just wanted to know if you think you recognise this tunnel," Bloom said.

"Well, it does look familiar," Aisha replied, studying the tunnel. "Though it has very rough walls. Signs of shoddy construction".

"Right. Let's get moving," Sky said and yawned. "I think my legs might fall off. We should probably find somewhere to rest":

"What about Brandon and Stella?" Bloom asked concernedly.

"We can't help them if we faint in the middle of everything," the Eraklian prince responded. "It's something we learned at Red Fountain. Rescue teams must take care of themselves, so that they are always able to help others".

"I guess you're right," Bloom said and stared at her feet as they continued down the tunnel. After a moment, she asked: "Sky?"

"Hmm," the blond responded.

"Do you think it was stupid of us to try to save the pixies?" Bloom asked earnestly.

"Ehm... Well... To be honest... Let me think..." Sky responded, suddenly looking very uncertain. "Maybe... I mean... Good intentions and... Important things... Maybe stupid is too strong..."

His complete inability to structure a sentence was interrupted by a reverberating roar. The group looked behind them, where two of Darkar's turtle monsters and two spike creatures were crawling down the tunnel.

"Right, let's get moving," Sky ordered and the group sprinted down the tunnel, monsters in hot pursuit.

The group continued to run, when an almost completely breathless Aisha suddenly called: "The tunnel... Is splitting!"

"Just pick a tunnel!" Sky ordered.

"But there aren't any signs," Aisha responded.

"That would be why you should just pick one," Sky loudly clarified.

The brunette princess shrugged and ran down the middle tunnel, closely followed by her two companions and the monster squad.

They suddenly halted as the cave ended in a wall, causing Sky to mutter: "Aw crap. That's no good". He drew his sword and shield, turning to face the incoming monsters with a: "Seems like we got to do this the hard way".

The two turtle monsters flanked the spiked horrors, as they got ready to perforate the group. Suddenly, an intense beam of light bisected one of the spiked monsters. The other turned, only to be crushed under the powerful blow of a club. The shelled monsters reacted immediately to the new, much more dangerous presence and turned to face it. Sky saw his chance to act and leapt forward, severing one of the monsters' neck with a swing of his blade. The other turned to face him, but its head and neck ceased to be as it disappeared in a violent conflagration, courtesy of Bloom.

Sky adjusted his light and stared at the surprising sight of Stella riding a lizard man.

"Hey, guy n' gals," the Solarian blonde greeted them." Boy, am I tots happy to see you all again".


	5. Accidental Rescue

Chapter 5: Accidental Rescue

"Alright," Sky said as his gaze wandered up and down the hulking lizard and the princess on top. "If it wasn't because I haven't had anything to eat for about the last day or so, I would have sworn that I was suffering from severe food poisoning".

Abrupto grunted in response, apparently a bit displeased at being compared to a case of food poisoning.

"I assume there's an explanation for this?" Bloom questioned, as Stella was carefully let down from her position on Abrupto's shoulders.

"It's a long story," Stella explained. "Long and weird".

"And harsh, if your skin is anything to go by," Sky said, as he noticed the blonde's pale skin and numerous scars. "I got some first aid supplies if there's anything you need".

"Well, Brandon said I lost a lot of blood, so if you got anything for that, it would be tots nice," Stella said after a moment's pause.

"Right, I got some blood pills," Sky said as he dug through his backpack. From it, he withdrew a couple of crimson tablets that he handed the Solarian princess.

"What are those?" Bloom asked.

"Condensed packages of iron, vitamin C and other such wonderful stuff that I have no idea what does," Sky explained. "They'll help kick-start her body's production of blood. It's no replacement for a healer, but it'll do". He turned to the princess in question and asked: "Anyway, so what did happen?"

Stella swallowed the pills and started her tale with: "Me and Brandon were dragged by the river, until we lost consciousness. Then, these, like, lizard guys saved us and brought us to their city. But then, all of a sudden, the princess tots wanted to marry Brandon for absolutely no reason. In exchange, I was to be escorted to the surface, but then we heard your clamouring and came to save your butts".  
>"You're right. That does sound weird," Bloom said.<p>

"Indeed. As a princess, she should be able to find somebody closer to her own station," Aisha agreed.

Stella glared at her for a moment, before sighing, apparently deciding that that particular discussion could wait.

"So, Brandon has been forced to marry this princess in exchange for your safety?" Sky asked.

"Sums it up," Abrupto grumbled.

"But now that you are here, we can save him," Stella said enthusiastically. After a moment, she turned to the big troglodyte and earnestly asked: "Will this be a problem for you, Abrupto?"

"No," the big troglodyte grunted. "You have the right to fight for those you care for".

"Well, in that case, let's go save Brandon from getting married," Sky stated.

"Right. Back to Domum," Abrupto said and turned, the group slowly following him back down the tunnels.

...

Inside the massive castle of Shadowhaunt, the pixies glared out of the forcefield of their prison. The air was filled with grotesque sounds, as winged beasts patrolled the darkness. The creatures were made of the same grey and slimy flesh as the other monsters in Darkar's service, but shaped like serpents with great bat-like wings. They circled the keep, occasionally letting our chilling cries, as they scoured the castle for intruders to eliminate.

"Locked up, tortured and now we cannot even be allowed a good night's rest," the grey-haired pixie grumbled as she stared out the windows.

"It's really rude," the redhead pixie yawned in agreement, currently wearing a nightcap and striped pyjamas. "Not that it seems to bother Piff".

The grey-haired pixie turned to observe the sleeping blonde, who was happily snoring in a corner without a care in the world. "Well, at least then one of us will get some sleep," she commented.

"The castle could fall apart and she would still sleep," the redhead noted.

"We should try to get some..." the grey-haired one started, by was interrupted by the shrill cry of a flying monster as it passed by the window. She took a deep breath and angrily muttered: "One more time and I will give them a piece of my mind".

"Anyway, have you come up with any ideas for how we can get out?" the redhead asked.

"Unfortunately not," the elegantly-clad pixie replied. "The forcefield is completely impenetrable. Worse, the locking mechanism has been upgraded, so it won't be..." A roar from a flying monster interrupted her again. "INTERRUPT ME ONE MORE TIME AND I WILL BREAK YOU ALL IN HALF!" the severely annoyed pixie yelled at the flying beasts, causing a couple of the monsters to flap away from the window in shocked confusion.

"Now I got an idea for how to break out," the pixie in pyjamas said, snapping her fingers. "We'll just have them interrupt you a couple more times and then you will go..." She twirled and was suddenly clad in a fur bikini and had a club in her hand: "Raaargh, Tune crush all the skulls". She twirled again, now suddenly back in her pyjamas. "And then me and Piff will just follow your wake of destruction

"You are so funny, Amore," the grey-haired pixie said flatly.

The doors were suddenly opened and Darkar marched in with a: "Alright, what's with the yelling? Some of us are actually trying to sleep before our next big scene".

"Wait, you sleep?" the pixie redhead asked in surprise.

"Yes. What of it?" Darkar questioned.

The two pixies looked at each other for a moment. Then Amore spun around and was suddenly clad in a marching band uniform, complete with drums, a trumpet and harmonicas on her feet, all of which she started playing at the same time. Meanwhile, Tune broke out in a long, shrill operatic scream.

Darkar sighed, a noise barely audible in the infernal hullabaloo created by the pixies, and said to himself: "Yep. Walked straight into that one".

"Hey, some of us are trying to rest," Piff protested as she was rudely awoken by the noise. "What's going on?"

"Alright, I think this gag has gone on for long enough," Darkar said slightly annoyed. "Quit it or you will regret it".

"Hah, you can't touch us without turning the forcefield off," Amore pointed out. "And without your smelly cronies to spit on us, we'll just fly away".

Darkar's entire form suddenly shifted and a rust coloured cobra with glowing eyes pierced the barrier with a warning of: "Don't be so sure of that". The two pixies yelped as the transformed Darkar slithered out of the prison again and re-assumed his humanoid form, asking: "So, what is it you want from me?"

The two pixies were silent for a moment, just staring at the imposing figure of the Shadow Phoenix. "What do you think? We want to be let out," Amore stated.

"Oh. Just that?" Darkar questioned. "Really now, then why are you bothering me? It's not going to make your rescuers get here any faster".

"Wait. Rescuers?" Tune questioned.

"Yep. Lost a couple of mooks on patrol. Plus, got an alarm from one of the Underland openings," Darkar explained nonchalantly. "Most likely the heroes coming to rescue you". He rubbed his chin, muttering to himself: "Does that mean we're already getting to the story's climax? No, that doesn't seem right. Can't end it all now, it wouldn't be dramatic enough. But then, what does it mean? Would depend on the act, really, which means..." Lost in his somewhat nonsensical pondering, Darkar exited the room.

"Well, that is something I guess," Amore said with a shrug.

"Right. It sounds like they've sent a small strike team," Tune speculated. "A small group of elite soldiers, from Red Fountain most likely. The question is, how did they figure out we're down here?"

"Aisha," Piff suddenly realised. "She must have survived the fall".

"Could she?" Amore questioned.

"Her knack is water. So yes, hypothetically speaking, she could survive the fall into the lake below and the subsequent journey to the surface, allowing her to warn people of Darkar," Tune continued. "Which means that odds are that Glim also survived".

"Yaaay!" Piff exclaimed, jumping up and down while clapping her hands.

"And already they're sending a group to save us," Amore said surprised. "That was fast".

"The question is, how will they infiltrate Shadowhaunt itself? Darkar has quite the force ready," Tune pondered. "A small team might not be enough".

"Maybe Darkar will keep some of his troops back," Amore suggested.

"Why would he?" Piff questioned.

"Simple. If he's convinced that this isn't the time for the final battle, he won't go all out," Amore explained. "Because villains usually don't send out their strongest to crush the heroes in the first act".

"That does actually make a weird kind of sense," Tune admitted.

...

"Cave in," Abrupto grunted and stared at the dead end composed of heavy boulders. "Third tunnel. Unlikely to be a coincidence".

"Do you think Darkar has started shutting down the tunnels?" Stella asked. Colour was slowly returning to her skin, making her seem just a bit less sickly.

"Who knows at this point?" Sky responded with a shrug. "So, are there any other ways back to Domum?"

"Hmm," Abrupto grumbled, deep in thought. "There are a couple but most of them would take days. One is short, but gets close to the Forbidden Depths".

"Then we'll risk it," Stella said firmly.

Abrupto glanced at her, before licking his eye and saying: "Fine. Follow me".

The group followed the orange-tinted troglodyte down more tunnels, until they arrived at the top of a great pile of gravel, at the bottom of which was another tunnel. "Down there," Abrupto instructed, before attaching his club to his belt and started a slow, deliberate crawl down.

"Right. Careful with your feet," Sky advised as he too began making his way down by turning around and crawling backwards down the pile

"Why can't they just have some stairs," Aisha sighed.

"Trust me. They have plenty of stairs," Stella dryly added.

"Well, you only live once, I guess," Bloom said and started making her way down, closely followed by Stella, the two of them following Sky's example.

"Why are you all crawling like that?" Aisha questioned.

"Increased stability," Sky responded.

"Yeah, but won't digging into the gravel like that ruin my nails?" Aisha asked while staring at her fingers.

"That's the downside of adventuring, I'm afraid," Stella said sympathetically. "Can't get anything done without ending up with uneven nails and dirty hair".

Aisha continued staring at her nails, pondering: "Why didn't I bring my manicurist along? I knew she was wrong when she said I could deal with a single trip without her".

"I know a good one in Magicalis. I'll help you book a time once we're out of here," Stella offered.

"I guess. But still, can't I just...?" Aisha began, taking a couple of steps out on the steep pile of gravel. The small rocks shifted under her and the brunette fell on her ass with a shriek, before she started gliding down the hill while screaming.

Stella looked up at the princess currently rolling down towards her and managed to sigh in resignation before they collided. The princess tangle soon added Bloom to the pile, as the three girls rolled down the hill, triggering a gravel avalanche in the process.

"Oh, bogus," Sky muttered as he unsteadily hurried his descend while the princess ball came screaming towards him. He reached the bottom, where Abrupto abruptly grabbed his neck, hoisted him up and firmly placed the prince in safety behind the massive troglodyte. The gravel avalanche hit him and poured around him, as the ball of princess collided with him, stopping the girls' screaming descend. The gravel settled, now easily reaching Sky's thighs.

"Are you all okay?" the concerned prince asked.

"Everything's full of spinning," a disoriented Bloom replied.

"Why world hate Stella so much today," the Solarian princess muttered to herself.

"Sorry about that," Aisha apologised, getting up while rubbing her sore behind. The trip had left small gashes in her and the two other princesses clothes. "I thought maybe I could just walk down".

"You were wrong," Abrupto stated, before marching down a tunnel.

Aisha's face fell and she started fiddling with her fingers in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, I tots did things like that when I was still new to this," Stella said reassuringly.

"Like less than forty-eight hours ago when you decided to lighten up that cave?" Bloom asked with a slight smirk.

"Look, let's not be so concerned with what's already in the past," Stella stated dismissively, before hurrying after Abrupto.

"But seriously," Bloom started and helped Aisha up. "We've been through things like these before. Just listen to our advice and we'll get through this".

Suddenly, they heard Abrupto's very family-unfriendly cursing and the rest of the group hurried after him.

"Another collapse," the irate troglodyte growled. "All the short routes through the caves are being destroyed. This Darkar fellow, if he is responsible, is trying to cripple our ability to get around our domain".

"Does that mean we have to go back up the gravel?" Stella asked, her shoulder sagging at the thought.

"Maybe not," Abrupto grumbled. He unhooked his club and roughly tapped it at a wall. "Thin". He grabbed his club with both hands and smashed it against the wall. "Hmm, not thin enough".

"Oh, I might have something," Sky said and dug through his backpack. "I also brought a barrier buster. Here, let me". He placed the device and questioned Abrupto about how much of the wall he could safely remove. Then there was a puff and a giant circular hole was formed. The group passed through and found themselves standing on a ledge at the edge of a massive cave. Below them, they could hear the rushing of water and above glittered several lights from windows carved into massive stalactites.

"Shadowhaunt," Aisha realised as they stared at the foreboding structure.

"Okay, bad direction. Let's go back," Sky said and turned back to the hole. He stopped and looked at the girls. Moments passed. "You're not coming, are you?" he sighed.

"Sky, we are so close," Bloom pleaded. "We have to at least try to save the pixies".

"What do you say, big guy?" Sky asked, looking to Abrupto.

"I was ordered to escort the princess," he grunted. "I will do so until my task is complete. Even if this is a bad place".

"Right, I guess I'm not going to make it alone out there," Sky said and threw a glance at the exit. He sighed and said: "Okay. Let's get this crazy plan going".

...

"Is this really necessary?" Brandon groaned. He had been firmly escorted to another room, stripped of everything but his underpants and was now subjected to the whims of a swarm of yellow-tinged troglodyte tailors. He had gathered that they were a wandering group, seeking employment in different cities and that some of them were female. Not that Brandon had any clue how to tell them apart. And now he was being poked, prodded, stretched and posed as the tailors began designing his wedding attire. Suffice to say, Brandon was not in the best of moods.

"What colours would fit with his skin?" one asked.

"Will this be too coarse for his sensitive body?" another questioned.

"Can we use this design even though he lacks a tail?" a third pondered.

"That's right, just keep ignoring me," Brandon muttered.

"Sorry, we mean no disrespect," one of the tailors offered. "But the princess gave us little time to finish this commission. I gather that she wanted the wedding over as quickly as possible".

"Right. Nothing says romance like a complete rush job," Brandon added.

At that moment, Amentia herself entered and asked: "How goes the sewing?"

"We've had to adapt some patterns and choose some non-traditional material combinations," one replied. "We also need to consult you on the colour choices".

"Look, Amentia, we need to talk," Brandon said seriously.

"This again," Amentia sighed. "Fine. Tailors, I need a moment with my husband-to-be".

"Of course, your majesty," they replied and streamed out the room, discussing whether or not they also needed to account for the colour contrast of his hair.

"Right, what's the problem now?" Amentia asked when they were alone.

"Why are you rushing the marriage?" Brandon asked.

"I have my reasons to get this over with as soon as possible," Amentia said. "That's all you need to know".

"Really?" Brandon replied. "Because, I'm starting to ponder whether this whole marriage thing is as binding as you claim it is".

"I've also been looking into your previous concerns," Amentia continued.

"You're ignoring me, aren't you?" Brandon stated.

"And if you really wish to be with your princess, I have a solution," Amentia continued as if Brandon had never said a word. "We'll just give you permanent residence in one of the farming colonies. We can just say it's because surfacers need sunlight".

"We do," Brandon flatly added.

"Excellent," Amentia stated. "Then it's even true. And that means your princess can pop in now and then and mate with you or whatever it is surfacers do together. You get to be with her, I get my loophole, everyone gets what they want".

"Except, of course, I won't be allowed to not marry you," Brandon pointed out, but Amentia just ignored him and left the room with a: "Alright, we had our talk. Now get back to making his clothes".

...

"Still no news?" Techna asked as Musa entered the room.

"Nope. No surprise there, really. Red Fountain has no obligation to keep us informed about every step of their operations," Musa said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself, as she plopped down in the sofa.

"Still sucks though," Techna added.

"Yeah," the black-haired girl agreed. "And to think that all that stopped you from joining them was that trip to town".

"Typical, isn't it?" Techna replied. "The one day you're out shopping, am I right?"

"So, why would you?" Musa asked. "Join them on their crazy adventure, I mean".

Techna seemed to mull it over for a moment, before responding: "Well, because it would be fun, because I like to keep an eye out for my friends and because getting those pixies out is the right thing to do".

"But not the smart thing," Musa pointed out.

"Well, if you say so," Techna replied with a shrug. "Way I see it, we have next to no idea what those little buggers are going through right about now. And scouting the entirety of Underland is impossible".

"So storming down there is the best solution?" Musa questioned sceptically.

"It's a solution," Techna replied. "So is the thing Red Fountain is doing. Really, sometimes there isn't a best solution. Sometimes you go with your brains, sometimes you go with your guts, sometime the heart".

"And usually your guts seem to tell you that you should be storming in with a battle roar while brandishing your club," Musa snarked.

"You wouldn't believe how many times I've gotten someone out of a pickle by doing that," the scarred girl replied with a grin.

"I can't imagine it went well all the time," Musa said.

Techna unconsciously traced a scar on her arm, before replying: "Nope. It didn't. That's also part of it all, you know. Doesn't matter what you choose, sometimes you just run straight into trouble and get the shit kicked out of you". Her smirk returned as she added: "But you really shouldn't let that stop you from trying again". The magenta-haired girl got up from the sofa, stretched and turned to open a window.

"Still, I wish they would have thought this more through," Musa insisted. "There's no way they're ready for this".

"They weren't ready for a war either," Techna argued while enjoying a breath of fresh air. "Handled that well enough".

"But they lack training," Musa replied.

"On the other hand, they have experience," Techna pointed out.

"So you're saying I'm wrong?" Musa asked.

"If that's what you're hearing, then you haven't been listening," Techna said in a somewhat singsong tone. "I'm saying that we find different parts of problems important. We're not right or wrong, just different".

"So, that's your point?" Musa asked. "That we're different".

"Hey, I'm not trying to pass judgement," Techna said with a smile. "I'm just saying, we're all wearing different boots".

Then something hit the back of her head and the scarred girl fell face first to the floor.

"Ouch," came the muffled sound as Techna's face was buried in the carpet.

"Very ouch," agreed a little voice. Sitting on Techna's head was a small pixie, clad in light blue shorts and shirt, blonde hair cropped back to provide minimal resistance. On her back was roll of paper, secured with leather straps.

"Who are you and why are you rattling my friend's skull?" Musa asked.

"Name's Livy. I'm the best messenger in Pixie Village," the blonde pixie triumphantly declared, standing dramatically on Techna's head.

"I'd say I got the message alright," Techna mumbled as she slowly got up, the pixie still balancing on her head. "So, what brings you to Alfea?"

"I'm here to bring a very important message to Faragonda," Livy declared. "You know it's really important because they sent me to deliver it".

"Well, I'm afraid you crashed into the wrong fairy then," Techna added, as the pixie finally left her head, instead hovering in mid-air. "You'll want to crash into a much older fairy with grey hair and a grandmotherly look".

"Or we could take her to Faragonda and avoid any more accidental head-bashing?" Musa pointed out.

"But that's the funniest kind of head-bashing," Techna protested.

Suddenly, Glim flew past Musa, twirling her finger by her head in the universal sign for 'nutjob'.

"Hey, Glim," Livy said in excitement. "Where have you been? I heard you got snatched up with the other pixies".

"True," the redhead replied.

"Did the others get out?" Livy asked hopefully.

Glim sighed sadly and shook her head.

"I was afraid you'd say... Well, sigh and shake that... No, sigh and move like that," Livy corrected herself. She turned to the two fairies and said: "That's why I'm here. Ninfea and the other village elders are kinda in the dark and hoped Faragonda could fill them in on what's going on".

"Right. Then we should probably get you to her office right away," Musa said.

...

The rope bridge creaked and groaned beneath the group, gently swaying in the cold wind.

"Really not sure this was a good idea," Sky mumbled as he carefully moved his feet across the ancient planks, leading the way with his flashlight. The group had managed to locate an old bridge that lead from the ledge to Shadowhaunt. It was a terrifying journey through the darkness, with nothing but a very long drop beneath them should anything go wrong.

"We just have to go really slowly," Bloom said, trying to both keep an eye on her feet and not stare into the dark abyss below, as she followed Sky.

"They should really get some better bridges," Aisha complained. "Even I can see that this one isn't safe".

"I tots agree," Stella added.

"It'll hold," Abrupto stated, sagging a bit behind the group to spread out the weight.

"And if it doesn't?" Stella asked.

Abrupto threw a glance down into the darkness, before simply responding: "Hope we get lucky".

"Well, I feel tots better now," Stella muttered sarcastically.

"Don't worry, I can see the ledge," Sky pointed out, shining a light ahead. A few minutes later, the group was across.

"So, is the rescue mission everything you wanted it to be?" Sky quipped as the girls took a short pause.

"Could tots do with less deadly drops," Stella gasped somewhat out of breath. "I tots don't feel good".

"To be fair, you being low on blood probably doesn't help," Sky added as he looked around. "I can see a door. Aisha, any idea where the pixies are?"

"Well, I would assume the same place as last time," Aisha said. "But I'm not familiar with the layout. I was fleeing for my life last time I was here".

"Right. Let's get searching then," Sky said and opened the wooden door into the keep. The inside was lit by lamps, illuminating the rough walls.

"It's tots impressive they managed to carve all this into those stalagwhatyacallthem," Stella admitted as they looked around.

"The air is eerie," Abrupto grunted as the group ascended a staircase.

"Yeah, a nice paintjob would probably help," Stella agreed. "This place is just so drap and drained of colour".

"Darkar probably prefers it that way," Aisha guessed while they passed through a room filled with decaying furniture. "He's also the type who wears spikes on his armour":

"Ugh, everyone knows that oversized spaulders are the fashionable impractical armour design this season," Stella said with a flick of her hand. "Spikes went out of season last year, along with skulls on your kneepads".

"That's a thing?" Bloom asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, fashion can occasionally get a little bit ridiculous," Stella forced herself to admit.

"Skull kneepads are your idea of being a little ridiculous?" Bloom asked in disbelief.

"Shh, I think I hear something," Sky ordered. As the group went quiet, they could hear voices up ahead. "Could it be the pixies?" the Eraklian prince pondered.

"Could be. Pixies can talk," Aisha stated.

"Yeah, I know," Sky said, rolling his eyes a bit. "Wait here, I'm going to sneak up". He kept to the shadows and slowly made his way up to a wooden door. Slowly, he opened it and peeked inside. He gestured with his hands for the group to follow him. Quickly, the others followed the blond prince into the room.

Aisha immediately recognised the room as the prison Darkar kept the pixies in, complete with eerie wall faces and glowing forcefield, behind which the pixies where.

"Aisha?" Tune stated in shock as she saw the group enter. "What... You're part of the elite team sent to rescue us?"

"Not exactly, no," Sky explained, rubbing his neck. "These girls just decided to rescue you. And then we found you kinda by accident".

The pixies stared at the fairies, before Tune said: "Well, why I am most grateful for the attempted assistance, why would you go down here yourself rather than sending someone more qualified?"

"I'm noticing that everyone keeps bringing that up," Bloom mumbled, fiddling with her fingers.

"I'm starting to think that maybe they have a point," Stella added.

"How? We got here just fine?" Aisha pointed out.

Stella traced a scar on her head, before mumbling: "Funny definition of fine you've got".

"Anyway, we're here now and we're busting you out," Sky said, turning to the pixies. "How does this thing work?"

"It's attached to a locking mechanism over on that wall," Amore explained, the fairy again back in her prison uniform. "But Darkar added some magical locks to make it even harder to operate".

"Alright, I should be able to do this," Sky said, cracking his knuckles as he advanced on the defenceless mechanism.

...

"I have no idea what I'm doing," Sky groaned as he stared at the locking mechanism. The better part of an hour had passed and no progress seemed to have been made.

"I could give it a whack again," Abrupto offered.

"Right, because nearly taking my head off once wasn't quite enough," Bloom said, gesturing to a hole in the wall where the club had ended up being launched through.

"I'm just wondering why we haven't been spotted yet," Stella said while scouting out the door. "You'd think they would have heard us by now".

"You would, but Darkar doesn't operate by... Well, conventional logic," Tune added. Behind her, Piff had decided to spend the time sleeping, while Amore was wearing a bored look and a 'professional time-waster' t-shirt.

"I can attest to that," Aisha mumbled.

"Right, I need a break now," Sky said as he threw his arms in the air. "I have no clue how that damn thing works. I'd probably have more luck trying to eat the forcefield".

"Wouldn't recommend," Abrupto advised.

"Hey, I think I saw something," Stella suddenly said.

Sky immediately drew his blade and hurried to the door. He peeked out carefully while asking: "Where did you see it?"

"Down the hallway," the blonde princess said and pointed.

Slowly, Sky made his way down the hall, sword and shield ready. Not far down, he found a wooden door that was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and peaked inside. It was a great banquet hall, with long tables filled with tarnished silverware. "Who places a banquet hall besides the prison?"

"Good question, but not even boss guy knows why," an uncomfortably familiar voice said behind the prince. He quickly turned, only to catch a blast of lightning to the chest that launched him through the air. With a yell, he collided with the table, gliding along its surface while scattering dinnerware in every direction.

With a grunt, the prince looked up from his prone position to see Stormy stroll into the room. "You," he painfully gasped.

"Yep. Me," Stormy said, one again clad in distinctive red clothes.

"SKY!" Bloom yelled as she barged into the banquet hall, followed by the rest of the group. "Wait, Stormy?"

"You people are just so observant today," Stormy snarked.

"Great. Why are you here?" Stella asked.

"Darkar offered us a job. Seemed better than hanging out in Lightrock," Stormy replied with a shrug.

"And the rest of the psycho-circus?" Bloom asked.

Suddenly, Abrupto roughly shoved the three girls out of the way, moments before a wave of frost hit him, causing ice to form over his scales.

"Behind you," Icy stated.

Abrupto grunted angrily, the ice slowly breaking off as he charged Icy. The white-haired witch reacted quickly, surrounding herself with a barrier of ice that barely got cracks from Abrupto's blow.

Meanwhile, Sky managed to get back on his legs and charged Stormy. The witch turned to fire at him again, but Sky kicked a metal dish that flew through the air and hit Stormy between the eyes.

"Son of a bitch," she cursed, as she tumbled over a table to avoid Sky's blade.

At the other end of the hall, Stella got back up on her legs and summoned her sceptre. Her legs were shaking, but she still started charging magic, ready to blast Icy, who was currently dodging a fierce assault from Abrupto, his club turning a table to splinters. Suddenly, a burst of white-hot pain exploded on her back as something slashed across it. She screamed and quickly turned, only to be sent sprawling over a table by a blow from Darcy's fist.

"Forgot someone?" she asked, twirling her daggers.

Stella whimpered as the poison started to rob her of her ability to move.

"You'll pay!" Bloom exclaimed and launched a fireball at the witch.

Darcy smirked and sunk into the floor.

"She disappeared," Aisha said in surprise.

A shadow snaked across the floor and from it, Darcy leapt at Bloom, causing the redhead to yelp and reflexively hold up her hands in defence. Darcy just slashed her blades across the vulnerable flesh, forcing a scream from the redhead's throat.

"Leave her alone!" Aisha called and splashed water at Darcy, who merely gave her a 'are you kidding me' look, as she mere got lightly soaked, while Bloom stumbled gasping backwards from the dagger-wielding witch.

Meanwhile, Sky rolled to the side as a ball lightning detonated a table, scattering utensils all over the place.

"You're starting to annoy me," Stormy growled as she flung another projectile, this one also missing the prince.

"Yeah? Well, what are you going to do about it?" Sky taunted.  
>Stormy smirked and asked: "How about this?" She moved her hands and a powerful wind blew across the hall. Sky's eyes opened wide in surprise, before a wall of wind and dinnerware hit him and sent him flying across the room. He collided with a wall, his head swimming as he crashed disoriented to the floor.<p>

Meanwhile, Abrupto grunted as one of Icy's icicles pierced the scales of his shoulder. This did not stop him from taking another swing at Icy, denting the stone floor in the process.

"So, what reason does a big guy like you have for hanging out with wimps like them?" Icy asked tauntingly.

Abrupto didn't respond, instead just trying to cave the white-haired witch's smug face in.  
>"You don't have one?" Icy continued, blocking another blow with a frozen shield. "Well, it really doesn't matter. Because soon, you won't have any reason for anything". She gazed into Abrupto's eyes and he suddenly stopped. It felt like ice seeped into his heart and a creeping sense of ennui burrowed into his brain. He suddenly struggled to move, his head full of questions. Like why was he here? Why was he protecting these girls? Why did he care about his duty? He fought and struggled to remember his pride, his people, his duty, fighting with his own mind. He might have succeeded, but then he was hit by a fridge-sized block of ice and plunged into a wall, leaving a sizeable dent. The ice shifted into a shell that glued him to the wall, while keeping his head free. Icy smirked and turned, noticing that Bloom was getting back on her legs.<p>

Her arms had gone limp, but that didn't stop the energy from flowing through her, her eyes alight with primal energy as she started to glow. "I could beat you once and I can do it again!" she threateningly declared, as she got ready to blow stuff up. She suddenly gasped as something cold wormed into her heart. Happiness, joy, hope, all slowly faded into nothingness and the power flaring through her died out. The shocked redhead turned and saw Icy staring at her with a look of concentration and malicious glee.

"How?" the redhead slowly questioned as she fell to her knees, her magic extinguished.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Icy taunted.

Darcy, meanwhile, was holding Aisha up against a wall, dagger pointed at her throat. "Looks like we win this round," she stated.

Suddenly, one wall exploded and a blinding light filled the banquet hall.

"What the..." Stormy started, trying to shield her eyes, before an orb of light smacked into her and launched her backwards.

Icy growled and raised a barrier of ice, but a beam of light scythed straight through it and almost hit the white-haired witch. Several glowing projectiles flew through the air and started blasting the hall apart.

"We need to fall back!" Darcy called and hurried out the door, quickly followed by the two other witches.

Bloom just stared at the light, as its touch soothed her, filling her with warmth, the coldness in her soul fading along with the numbness of her arms. Around her, her friends slowly healed as the light washed over them.

"Are you okay," a voice in the light asked. Slowly, the light died down, revealing white armour and angelic wings.

"Avalon," Stella stated in surprise.

"That is correct, Stella," Avalon said as his helm and wings faded. "What are you all doing here?"

"It's a long story," Bloom sighed. "Started with what I'm starting to think is a less than brilliant idea. What happened to you, by the way?"

"I tracked Argulus and his team. It took a long time," Avalon explained, before a shadow crossed his face. "Sadly, I was too late. Darkar had already re-purposed them all".

"Re-purposed," Stella asked, dreading the answer.

"He melts them down and reanimates the resulting, well, goo as his minions," Avalon stated. "He calls them the forsaken. Undead abominations that follow his every command".

"I think I'm getting sick," Aisha said at the thought.

"That's horrible," Sky quietly said. "But sir, we need your help. The pixies are in the prison in the next and we can't get them out".

"I should be able to dispel any ward he might have placed," Avalon said. "Show me".

Moments later, they entered the prison, where Avalon dissolved the barrier with a simple spell.

"Well, that was quick," Sky stated.  
>"Feel no shame at your failure. I've had decades to get good at this," Avalon stated. "Now, we must leave. There is nothing else for you here".<p>

"I can get behind that," Amore stated as the pixies flew into the air.

"Yipee for freedom," Piff exclaimed.

As the group hurried outside, Bloom asked: "So how long have you been here?"

"I learned of Argulus' fate months ago. I was ordered by my superiors to lay low and devise a way to rid the world of that monster Darkar," Avalon explained. He lifted his hand and a bubble of light surrounded the group, before carrying them through the air and over the pit.

"Fancy bubble," Abrupto commented.

"Anyway, I was keeping an eye on Shadowhaunt when I noticed noise inside that sounded like combat. Once I knew you were in there, I knew I couldn't just abandon you all," Avalon explained. "Though it did blow my cover. Darkar will surely scour the caves to make sure I'm not still lurking around".

"Sorry 'bout that," Bloom muttered, observing her feet. The bubble landed on the opposite ledge and dissolved.

"Now then, can you return to the surface on your own?" Avalon asked. "Because if you do not require any more aid, I can get back quickly on my own and call for reinforcements".

"We can't leave just yet," Stella protested. "My Brandon has been kidnapped by a mad troglodyte princess and we need to save him before he gets married".

"And that's going on where?" Avalon asked, seemingly unsurprised by the revelation of the impromptu wedding.

"Domum," Abrupto grunted.

"Right. Then all of you can go to Domum and try to help Brandon, while I'll get reinforcements from the surface for you," Avalon said.

"Sounds like a plan," Sky agreed.

"Good. Then I will be off," Avalon said, before manifesting his wings and soaring off into an opening above.

"Right then. Back to Domum," Abrupto said as he begun the trek back to the troglodyte city.


	6. The Wedding Crashers

Chapter 6: The Wedding Crashers

"So, any idea about when he's getting hitched?" Sky asked as the group wandered down another tunnel.

"No. She wasn't exactly forthcoming with the details," Stella replied. "You know, maybe we'll get lucky and Brandon has already convinced her to call the whole thing off. Then we can all sit down and laugh about it. Right?" Stella asked, sounding like she was desperately trying to convince herself.

"Doubt it," Abrupto commented. "Amentia is the stubborn type".

"What do troglodyte marriages even entail?" Bloom asked.

"Typically, only royals get married. Cements who has the leadership, even if one or both of the royals take additional mates," Abrupto explained. "As you might imagine, it saves us a lot of trouble. But sometimes, non-royals want marriage too".

"Right. And when you do get married, what happens?" Sky asked.

"You take the walk of virtue, go to the crystal altar, exchange gifts in front of said altar and usually seal it with mutual eye cleaning," Abrupto explained.

"Eye cleaning? That thing with the tongue you do?" Stella asked.

Abrupto emitted a grunt of confirmation.

"Alright. Not cool. No woman is going to jab her tongue in my boyfriend's eye," Stella angrily muttered.

"Also traditional, returning to bedchamber to mate after wedding feast," Abrupto continued.

"Brandon porking a troglodyte. Not a pretty image," Sky said and shuddered.

Stella grumbled something under her breath.

"But wouldn't it be kinda... Pointless?" Bloom asked. "I mean, we are different species. Could Brandon and Amentia even mate?"

Abrupto responded with a non-committal grunt and a shrug.

"Doesn't matter if they can, because they won't," Stella angrily muttered.

"Are you okay?" Aisha asked.

"NO, I AM NOT!" Stella furiously erupted. She took a deep breath and continued with: "My boyfriend is about to be forced into some crazy marriage because... Well, because reasons. Reasons that none of us even know. But I'm not going to let her. You'll see".

"Right," Amore stated. "Just don't go completely..." She twirled around in mid-air, now suddenly dressed in a blood splattered wedding dress and wielding a knife. "Yah, give me my beloved, stab, stab, stab," she manically exclaimed, before spinning around again, now clad in a pink dress.

"I'll go 'stab, stab, stab,' on that crazy lizard if that's what it takes," Stella continued, stomping down the tunnel.

"Alright, but how about we make brutally murdering someone plan Q?" Sky asked. "Still on the table, just really far away on the table. Sounds good?"

"I guess," Stella sighed. "Look, I'm just a bit agitated. Sorry for snapping".

"Well, it could be worse. At least Brandon can refuse to mate with her," Bloom said. After a moment, she turned to Abrupto and asked: "He can refuse, can't he?"

"He can also refuse marriage," Abrupto pointed out. "Look how well that's working for him".

Stella began gritting her teeth.

"It would probably help a lot if we were able to discern her motive," Tune suggested. "As of now, we know so little about this Princess Amentia and her plans for Brandon that we might as well assume she could pull off anything".

"That's what really worries me," Sky added.

"That's what tots pisses me off," Stella grumbled.

"I was just thinking. Won't forcing somebody like Brandon into a marriage cause troubles with Eraklion?" Bloom asked.

"It would, but I can't say how serious the response would be," Sky replied. "I mean, Brandon is 'just' my squire. My dad may consider him expendable". After a rather frightening glare from Stella, the blond prince immediately added: "Then again, since Brandon is officially in a relationship with Stella, it might make him a lot more important. Must admit I'm not always sure myself how it all works. And I for one most certainly consider him important, so that will probably also affect how my dad will rule on this. Not to mention that Brandon's relationship with Stella would mean that this whole marriage thing could also bring them into conflict with Solaria".

"Not could. Will," Stella stated in an ominous tone.

...

"I'm sorry, I must have heard wrong," Brandon said as he stared at Amentia. "Could you please repeat yourself?" The princess had had him escorted from the small room, which more or less functioned as his cell, to her own bedchamber for what she said was very important business.

"We're going to have a doctor look you over and check how compatible we are," Amentia replied. "It will be rather important for our marriage".

"Okay, I'm going to repeat what I think you said and then you can confirm or deny," Brandon said slowly. "You're going to have some doctor prod my junk to see if we can have sex, purely for the 'mating' we will do as part of a marriage act I have no interest in to begin with, thus making this all kinds of creepy and uncomfortable. Was I anywhere near getting that right?"

"Actually, that was spot on," Amentia replied.

"Alright, no, not going to happen," Brandon said firmly. "I'm only marrying you because otherwise you'd probably have your goons break my legs or something like that, but sleeping with you? I don't know if it at any time made its way through your skull, but I'm already in a relationship. An exclusive relationship, no hanky-panky with others allowed".

"Why do you insist on making this so difficult?" Amentia sighed in annoyance. "So, what, you're not going to see the doctor?"

"There's no reason for me to," Brandon replied stubbornly.

"Well, I do have a bed here," Amentia pondered. "So really, there's no need for us to go to a doctor to figure out possible mating issues. And after all, why wait for the wedding?"

Brandon just stared at the princess for many long seconds, before shuddering and saying: "Alright, you win. But I will say that you are sick in the head".

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, let's get this over with," Amentia said dismissively as she opened the door to the room. "Alright, he's ready".

An orange troglodyte with a bag full of different instruments marched in and observed Brandon as Amentia left the room. "Alright. Strip," the orange-tinted doctor ordered.

Twenty minutes of prodding, probing, touching, measuring and other medical procedures to get an understanding of the squire's anatomy followed.

Afterwards, the doctor let Amentia in again while Brandon finished getting dressed.

"Well?" Amentia asked.

"He's only got one," the doctor grunted. "Also, it's somewhat inverted. So be careful, the whole thing is pretty sensitive".

"Okay. That's weird," Amentia said somewhat surprised. "Anything else?"

"Yes. He also urinates with it," the doctor continued. "Very confusing".

"Well, that's disgusting," Amentia said and shuddered.

"I can hear you!" an annoyed Brandon called from the corner, where he was putting his shirt on.

"Also note, skin is sensitive and full of weird growth. Don't pluck them, it hurts," the doctor warned. "Other than that, just follow standard medical advice and don't expect any children. You have a good day now". Then the doctor left through the door.

"Well, despite your, to put it mildly, unusual anatomy, it would seem we won't have any problems," Amentia stated.

"I disagree. I see plenty of problems," Brandon grumbled. "The first and foremost being that you're seriously planning on forcing me to mate with you for no other reason than to make sure your fake marriage seems authentic. That's seriously disturbing and fucked up. Not to mention it seems completely unnecessary. What, is your dad going to come in and check the sheets after the deed is done or something?"

"Why do you have to be so ridiculously difficult about this," Amentia groaned, scratching her head. "You get to be king, get loads of riches, mating rights to a princess who will be queen one day, plus you can still be with whomever you want on the sideline. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Maybe because that's not what I want;" Brandon stated.

"Whatever. Guards, my husband-to-be is ready to be escorted back to his room," Amentia called.

...

"Are we there yet?" Stella groaned.

"I think so. I think I recognise that tunnel," Aisha offered.

"Great. So in conclusion, we must still be somewhere in Underland," Sky stated.

"Hey, Abrupto. Do you know how far away Domum is?" Bloom asked.

The troglodyte shrugged and replied: "Depends. The recent cave-ins makes it hard to say". The group turned around a corner and walked into a tunnel filled with glowing crystals of all sorts, which were illuminating the cave to the point of making the use of a flashlight quite redundant.

Bloom observed a green crystal as they passed, before asking: "You mentioned a crystal altar. Is it made of this kind of crystal?"

"Not made from," Abrupto corrected. "Would be hubris to reshape crystals, to see whatever form we give it as being superior to its own. Brings bad luck. No, the crystal altar was found in the shape it is now, once it was freed from the stone. It brings blessings of fortune and fertility".

"Can a crystal do that?" Bloom quietly asked Stella.

"Tots possible I guess," Stella replied with a shrug.

"Anyways, so crystals bring fertility. Do they do anything else?" Bloom asked curiously, as she returned her attention to Abrupto.

"Crystals may bring any number of boons or curses," the orange-tinted troglodyte continued. "Depends on the crystal, really. Some can even predict the future".

"They do? How?" Bloom asked.

"When a troglodyte is born, they are brought to the crystal seers, who determine their birth crystal," the big troglodyte explained. "I'm born under the blue crystal. The seers interpret the glows of the crystals to foretell the future. Not foolproof, but can give an idea of what to look out for".

"Reminds me of astrology," Bloom said.

"Hmm?" Abrupto questioned.

"It's when people interpret the... Have you ever been to the surface?" Bloom asked, wanting to make sure she could explain the concept.

"Occasionally, yes," the troglodyte replied. "Mostly when the deep shadows have fallen across the land. The bright light that's there otherwise hurts my eyes".

"Right. Astrology is the art of interpreting the small lights in the sky for clues about the future," Bloom explained. "I'll admit I don't know that much about it, so I can't really tell you how it works. Back on track, you mentioned the crystal seers? Do they do anything else but reading into the crystals for a look at the future?"

"The crystal seers also commune with any new crystal, to find out where it draws its power from and what boons and blessings it might confer" Abrupto replied as he resumed his explanation. "Most common crystals are the crystals of communion. Brings blessings of understanding, cooperation and partnership. Usually small and used for lamps, though the hall of the crystal seers has one the size of me. Aids them in understanding the crystals".

"If they can really do that, I might have more use for them than mere decorations," Aisha mused.

"You will have to talk with the seers about that," Abrupto warned. "You must understand how to treat the crystal or its blessings will turn into curses. What the crystals give they can take away again".

"Right. Treat the crystals with respect," Aisha repeated out out loud to herself.

"But if the crystals are like this, won't the altar object to Brandon's shotgun wedding?" Sky inquired.

"Might. Crystals are fickle. There will be a seer for the wedding, so who knows. Crystals are not people though. They don't feel like we do," Abrupto informed. "The altar may not care that the marriage is forced, only that it is a marriage. I wouldn't know. Many troglodytes think the crystals benevolent, but if they were, they would give out blessings freely, not in return for rituals. At least, that's how my mom used to see it and I agree with her".

"Right. Don't count on glowing rock to save Brandon. Gotcha," Sky repeated. "I guess it would have been too convenient for the altar to just go 'Nope. That shit ain't right'".

"Don't worry. I can handle doing that," Stella grumbled while adjusting her ring.

"Should we be afraid?" Piff asked Tune.

"I think we should have started hours ago when she first started contemplating a possible premeditated murder vendetta," Tune dryly replied.

...

"Hmm, lots of guards," Abrupto noted. They had finally reached Domum and had stopped between several large rocks that allowed them to see the entrance, which was patrolled by several heavily armoured orange troglodytes with various heavy weapons, assisted by several lighter armed blue and yellow troglodytes.

"Isn't that normal?" Sky asked. "I mean, if it's a royal wedding, won't you need extra security?"

"Yes. At the castle," Abrupto pointed out. "There have been added extra guards to the borders after the rotting ones started showing up, but nothing like this. Stay here and make no sound". Then the orange-tinted troglodyte wandered off.

"Alright, let's play the quiet game," Piff enthusiastically said, before sitting down in silence with a look of intense concentration.

"Right. Can do," Amore said, twirled and suddenly resembled a pixie statue in deep thought. Looks and shrugs were exchanged between the other members of the group.

Minutes later, Abrupto came back. "Bad news," he grunted. "It would seem Amentia was concerned that you might return, Stella. So the guards are under orders to keep an eye out for you or any other surfacers and detain you until the end of the marriage ceremony. Fortunately, they now believe I've escorted you back to the surface".

"Right. Thanks, big guy. That gives us an opportunity to sneak in," Sky said as he peered over a rock. "Damn it, stealth is so not my speciality".

"Stealth is not your speciality, survival is not your speciality, leadership is not you speciality," Stella listed while counting on her fingers.

"Yeah, I'm not that kind of soldier," Sky admitted. "But I'm very good at hitting things very hard".

Abrupto grunted in a way that could be interpreted as an approval for the talent of hitting things very hard.

"Unfortunately, that is not the skill set required for this particular headache," the blond prince continued, before he started to scout around, occasionally muttering to himself. "Alright, I might have an idea. How about this? Abrupto, you go chat with those guards, thus distracting them. Then we sneak through that door over there".

"What if somebody's home?" Bloom questioned.

"Just say you misunderstood orders from a guard, then ask to go through the front door," Abrupto said. "More serious concern is if the door's locked".

"Well, you could investigate it before speaking with the guards," Tune suggested. "After all, you did say that there were more monsters in the tunnels nowadays. Simply claim you're looking for possible entry points if anybody asks".

"Could work. Not currently on duty, but I am expected to keep an eye out anyway," Abrupto grumbled. "Okay, it's a plan. We meet on the other side. Don't go out until I'm there". The orange-tinted troglodyte lumbered off.

"Okay, but we gotta be fast once he's got their attention," Sky warned. "So just to warn you, if anybody trips and gets caught, then we're not going back for you. Abrupto said that you will only get detained, so there's no need to risk all of us getting discovered".

"I suppose that is for the best," Bloom muttered, though obviously not a fan of the idea.

"Guys, he's checked the door. It's unlocked," Piff informed them as she scouted ahead. "And now he's talking with the guards".

"Alright, on my mark," Sky ordered as he kept an eye on the proceedings, waiting for the right moment. "Go".

As one, the group moved forward, sticking to the shadows of the large rocks and trying to move both quickly and silently. Fortunately, whatever conversation Abrupto had started was both loud and enthusiastic, drawing the attention of many guards, even the ones not part of the discussion. As they neared the door, Stella stumbled over a rock. To her credit, she managed to suppress a yelp, but she had still made some noticeable noise.

One of the troglodytes turned to investigate the sound, when Abrupto hit him on the shoulder while declaring: "Listen, this is the best part".

With the guard distracted once more, Aisha hurried to help Stella up and get through the door that Sky was keeping open.

"That... Was close," he gasped. "Doesn't look like anybody's home".

"It is kind of rude, don't you think," Tune said. "I mean, I understand that this is our best option, but it just doesn't feel right to barge into somebody's home".

"I hear ya," Sky agreed as he headed to the front door. "Alright, I'll keep an eye out for the big guy. The rest of you, don't make too much noise".

"Why do the houses around here look so boring?" Piff questioned as she looked out a window. "This place could do with some colours".

"Well, they do have those crystals of theirs," Tune pointed out. "They add contrast".

"Yeah, but how much?" Piff asked. "Honestly, people should contact the troglodytes and start trading with them, if only to introduce them to paint".

"You know, I'm inclined to agree with the blonde one," Stella added while checking the scrapes she had gotten from the fall.

"Alright, he's signalling us," Sky said from the front door. "Let's go".

...

"So, where are we going?" Sky asked as they hurried down the street.

"We need to know when the wedding is," Abrupto explained. "The castle is secured, but the crystal altar is out in one of the outer courtyards".

"Right, I hear ya," Sky said in realisation. "It will be easier for us to get into the yard than into the castle proper".

"Right. But we need info from somebody we can trust," Bloom said. "We can't risk somebody alerting the guards".

"Sponsus," Abrupto grunted.

"I remember him. Poor guy. I can't even begin to imagine how he's feeling right now," Stella said, sadly shaking her head.

"HALT!" a voice suddenly yelled and the group turned to see three troglodyte guards, one yellow flanked by two orange, march up to them. The yellow looked the people over, before asking: "Aren't they the surfacers?"

"They are. I'm taking them to detention," Abrupto grunted as he stepped up to the yellow.

"Right, how kind of you. But you're off duty I see, so we'll just take them from here," the yellow-tinted troglodyte ordered.

"I said, I'm taking them," Abrupto growled.

"Trying to impress the royals? Sorry, but we'll make sure everything goes according to orders," the yellow shot back.

Abrupto suddenly stared at something behind the yellow, before asking: "And what about those surfacers?"

"What?" the troglodyte soldier said and looked over his shoulder. "I don't see any..." Abrupto's fist collided with his turned head and sent him flying into one of the other guards, knocking both of them into a stand full of urns. The remaining guard growled and raised his club, but Abrupto jumped him and grabbed his hands, the two massive troglodytes now wrestling each other for control of the weapon.

"We have to help him!" Sky exclaimed and drew his weapon, looking for an opening.

Meanwhile, Aisha looked to an urn and concentrated. A gout of water shot out and flew through the air, hitting the troglodyte guard in the face. He spluttered as his nostrils and mouth were filled with water, giving Abrupto the chance to head butt the fellow, knocking him to the ground.

"Alright, let's move!" Abrupto ordered and the group fled the disoriented guards.

Minutes later, the city became a frenzy of activity as news of the intruders spread. Patrols stormed around the city, questioning citizens, investigating alleys, searching hiding spots and generally leaving no stone unturned. Only Abrupto's familiarity with the city saved the group from discovery, though there had been several close calls.

"The princess really doesn't want us here," Aisha commented as they hid in another shadowy alley.

"This is abnormal," Abrupto stated. "Why is she so eager to marry this Brandon? This is much more trouble than it should be worth".

"Hey, I think he's worth the trouble," Stella interjected.

"I did not wish to insult your mate," Abrupto stated. "But there must be something else going on. She could have almost any troglodyte she wants. Why Brandon?"

"You think there's more to this than just a suddenly developed human fetish?" Sky asked.

"Maybe. We'll ask Sponsus," came Abrupto's grunt of declared intent. "Come. We move again".

...

Not long after, they managed to reach the clinic where Sponsus worked. Stella recognised it as the place he had taken care of them in.

"Coast is clear. Let's move," Sky said and the group followed him across the street. In the distance, the noise of guards could be heard in the form of yelling, orders and the rhythmic thundering of heavily armoured feet. The group ascended an outside staircase and entered the building.

The clinic was just as Stella remembered, sparsely decorated, but very utilitarian. By a table sat Sponsus, mixing medicine while reading various reports, occasionally taking a sip from a glass of amber liquid.

"Yes, just tell me what you need and I'll be right with you," he said as he barely acknowledged the presence of his guests.

"Sponsus?" Stella asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh, what?" the blue-tinted troglodyte asked as he turned around. "Me? Why, I'm fine. I'm getting loads and loads of work done. So much I should have done before, but I didn't have the time for it before now".

Abrupto crooked his head as he studied Sponsus, before gruffly asking: "When did you last sleep?"

"Sleep? Haven't got time to sleep. Loads of work to do, lots of sick people to cure. Especially with all the guests coming in," Sponsus rambled, taking another sip of amber liquid. "Been busy, why, I've had consultations all morning. Troglodytes from all nearby cities and colonies, and even some that are far away, are showing up to see the royal wedding. It is a pretty big happening after all. Very big. So now, I'm mixing up more batches for medicine. Because that's what I do. I fix people up. And I need the medicine for what my magic can't handle. So that's why I'm very busy and need you all to leave and..." He kept on rambling, constantly getting farther and farther off subject.

"Alright, I think he's blown a fuse," Sky commented. "Or what do you think?" He looked to the side, only to notice Amore in a straitjacket, wearing a facial expression like she had just been smacked with a frying pan. "Yeah, knew it wasn't just me," the blond prince commented as he returned his attention Sponsus.

"...with the royal wedding and then there's also this new type of plant that's been messing with people up in the colonies, so my mentor sent me some samples that I also need to check out," Sponsus kept rambling, completely lost in his description of his busy everyday life, despite seemingly not having anything resembling a relevant point any more.

Abrupto just kept staring at his friend, before stepping up to him with a spark of determination in his eyes. He raised his massive hand and placed it firmly on Sponsus' shoulder, causing the blue to stop his rambling. Abrupto just looked at Sponsus for a moment, before he took a deep breath and said as empathetically as he could manage: "It's okay that it hurts".

Sponsus just stared at the massive troglodyte for a moment. Then his knees buckled and the orange had to catch him to prevent him from collapsing on the floor. "I just don't know what went wrong," the broken Sponsus moaned as he was laid down on the patient's bed. "I mean, I always thought that I would at least get a clear rejection. But instead, she just marries somebody else in front of me. Who does that? Couldn't she at least reject me first? Is that too much to ask for? She always seemed so appreciative of my gifts and favours, and seemed to like having me around, but she hasn't even talked with me since she decided to marry Brandon. I'm just so confused".

"You're not the only one," Stella said. "But listen, no matter what, I won't allow Amentia to force Brandon into marriage. We need to know when it is so we can save him".

"I understand. You shouldn't share my pain," Sponsus said firmly and took a deep breath. "Alright, I can do this. I actually got an invitation, but I was afraid of what I would do if I showed up".

"So you can give us some of the info we need?" Sky asked.

"I can do better than that," Sponsus said determinedly. "I can come with you. I need to look her in her eyes and ask her why she's doing this. None of this makes any sense".

"We noticed," Abrupto grunted. "She's put Domum on high alert because of the surfacers. She's afraid, but I'm not sure of what".

"You're about to find out," Stella grumbled.

"You sure you will be okay?" Amore asked Sponsus as they left the clinic.

"Yes. It'll be tough, but eventually my bond to her will fade," Sponsus said, causing the redhead pixie to rub her chin with a look of deep pondering.

...

"Yep, this is my big day," Brandon said flatly to the mirror in his room. "My big day. My wedding. Sure was unexpected, but here it is. My wedding. Just wish I could be wed in more clothes". He was dressed in a pair of multicoloured shorts, a cape and an elaborate crown, leaving much of his skin open to exposure to the cold cave air. There was a knock on the door and the squire sighed, before saying: "Come in".

A massive orange troglodyte in elaborate, though sparse, clothes entered. "Hello, Brandon was it? Amentia said your parents couldn't come, so I offered to escort you to the altar".

"How kind of you," Brandon muttered before tearing himself away from his reflection. "So, what should I do?"

"We'll take the path of one-hundred-and-sixty-one steps," the orange informed him. "One step for every good quality in a mate".

"Am I supposed to memorise them all?" Brandon asked as they left the room.

"Of course not. No one does, not even my husband," she cheerfully told him. "Just pick your favourites and do your best. I'm Quoeda, by the way. Looking forward to having you in the family. Amentia has said so much about your turbulent, but passionate courtship when..."

Brandon mentally shut her out, instead occupying his thoughts with trying to device a way to figure out a troglodyte's gender on sight.

...

"Okay, can we just take a short break?" Bloom gasped as the group hurried down a street. As the wedding came closer and closer, the city of Domum became more and more desolate, making it easier for the group to get around. "My sides are starting to hurt".

"Me too," Aisha huffed. "This has been much more trying than my usual exercise routine".

"Sorry, wish we could, but we're low on time as it is," Sky replied understandingly.

"Uh, uh, I know what will help," Piff sudden squealed, before cheering: "Everybody go, everybody run. Because forced marriage ain't no fun".

"I'll agree," Amore added. "These kinds of things just mock the whole concept. I do not like it one bit".

"Not to mention how rude it is," Tune added.

"Right, we all agree on that. Which is why we need to get there as quickly as possible," Sky said.

"ALL OF YOU, HALT NOW!" a voice yelled behind them and the group was suddenly being chased by several guards.

"Alright, not feeling like taking a break any more," Bloom gasped and sped up.

"We have to turn right at the next intersection," Sponsus advised as they ran.

"What? That path will exhaust us," Abrupto replied. "We turn left".

"No, that will make it easy for the guards to follow us," Sponsus argued. "We go right".

"I am not scampering all over the city. Left," Abrupto shot back.

"It's not my fault you're as athletic as a boulder. Right," Sponsus retorted.

"MAKE UP YOUR MINDS ALREADY!" Stella yelled, as the intersection got closer.

"Right".

"Left".

"For crying out loud!" Bloom gasped as they reached the intersection, resulting in the group splitting in three. Sky went with Abrupto, Stella followed Sponsus and Bloom and Aisha kept charging down the street with the pixies.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they ever said anything about straight ahead going anywhere. Do you think this will lead us to the wedding?" Tune asked conversationally.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Bloom yelled while glancing over her shoulder at the pursuing guards.

...

"...and this step is honesty, this one is faithfulness, this one is cooking..." Quoeda continued as she enlightened Brandon on the meaning of the many steps. The squire had never imagined that the path would be an actual stairway, with the virtues hammered into the stones. It was quite something, though the brunette was very sure the writers had run out of inspiration at some point. That was the only reason he could think of why pillow fluffing was considered a virtue for a mate.

...

"Over the wall," Sponsus called, before running up a couple of crates.

"There tots had to be less exhausting way to do this," Stella gasped as she replicated the blues' parkour.

..

Sky ducked as a rock flew over his head, crashing against an nearby wall. Not only were several guards pursuing them on foot, but other troglodytes on the rooftops were using their slings to pelt them with rocks.

"DODGE!" Abrupto yelled as another barrage of rocks was sent flying.

"There really had to be a less dangerous way to do this!" the blond prince exclaimed.

...

"What about that way?" Piff suggested as the group stormed through the city. "It leads towards the castle".

"No, there's a wall," Tune sighed. "Try than one instead".

"Wait, no, there's guards," Amore warned. "Try going up there, we need to know where we are".

"Hey, I think I recognise that street," Aisha said helpfully.

"I SWEAR, THERE HAD TO BE A LESS INFURIATING WAY TO DO THIS!" Bloom exploded.

...

"...and you have to let it simmer for a while. My personal spice choices are..." Quoeda continued, oblivious to the complete one-sidedness of the conversation. Or maybe she just hoped small talk would make Brandon less nervous. Not that it did, the squire instead found himself pondering where he went wrong with this brilliant plan of his. Maybe he shouldn't have agreed to the marriage. Seemed like there really was no way of convincing Amentia. He was pretty sure at this point that there had been a less stupid way to do it.

...

Sponsus and Stella leapt from roof to roof, as Abrupto and Sky charged ahead in the alley beneath them, while the rest of the team ran past the opening of said alley. Dozens of guards were pursuing them, occasionally joining and splitting up as the groups zigzagged through the city almost at random. To the guards, it seemed like the group had initiated a brilliant stratagem of evasion that made sure that they couldn't all be caught at once. To the group, it was clear than nobody had any idea what anyone else were doing. In fact, some of them weren't even entirely sure what they themselves were doing.

"This is no good," one of the troglodyte slingers hissed to his commanding officer. "They are getting closer and closer to the castle. What should we do?"

The officer scratched his chin for a moment, before lifting a silver whistle. "Well, she said we could," he grunted. "Might as well". Then he blew into it.

A sound that could not be heard by human ears rang across the city. Then the rocky walls outside of Domum collapsed and massive eyeless beasts with brown, serpentine bodies and massive fanged maws slithered into the city.

...

"What was that noise?" Brandon asked as he was let into the courtyard. It consisted of a great plaza, in the middle of which was a dais on which rested a massive, rough hewn, blue crystal altar, a light softly pulsating within. By its side stood Amentia, impatiently awaiting him while a troglodyte dressed in multicoloured clothes, to the point of barely being visible beneath the layers of fabric, stood by the altar. Surrounding the plaza were seats upon seats, where dozen upon dozen of various troglodytes sat and awaited the ceremony.

"Sounds like they called in the tunnel wyrms," Quoeda said. "Weird, why would that be necessary?"  
>Brandon found himself hoping that it was necessary because something was about to happen that would allow him to get out of this wedding mess. Amentia's mother let him walk the rest of the way to the altar himself, as she went to join her husband in the seats.<p>

"NOT GOOD, NOT GOOD!" Sky howled as he charged down the alley with one of the tunnel wyrms in pursuit, its body crushing anything that had been left in the alley.

"She's authorised wyrms. What is she afraid of?" Abrupto grumbled.

"I WILL FORCEFEED THAT STUCK UP LIZARD BITCH HER OWN TAIL!" Stella roared from the roofs above.

"MAYBE THAT!" Sky loudly suggested.

The two of them charged out into an open street, wyrm in close pursuit. Only to watch Bloom, Aisha and the pixies charging towards them with another wyrm following them. Eyes widened as the groups realized the inevitable conclusion, even as they kept charging at one another.

"Well, this is bad," Tune dryly commented.

"YOU THINK?" Bloom yelled.

Abrupto suddenly accelerated, club in hand, and ran past the others before leaping. His massive body sailed through the air, before landing on one of the wyrms' head. The serpentine beast hissed and began shaking, but Abrupto gripped its collar and began smacking its head with the club. This distraction allowed Bloom, Aisha and the pixies to turn around and run past the wyrm, alongside Sky.

"WHAT ABOUT ABRUPTO?!" Bloom yelled as they kept running.

"I'M ALMOST SURE HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING!" Sky called as they charged ahead.

They hurried up a stairway, only to see one of the castle gates. Which was currently blocked by a dozen troglodyte heavies.

"I'm don't think charging them is a wise idea," Tune nervously advised as the group charged the guards.

"NEITHER DO I!" Sky roared and drew his weapon while Bloom began charging her magic.

...

"The altar has nothing but blessings of fertility for you," the crystal seer, the troglodyte in the multicoloured clothes, intoned.

"I suspect the altar is being sarcastic," Brandon commented.

"Right, right, blessings be upon us, but does it give consent?" Amentia asked impatiently.  
>"Hmm, it is very weird. I am not sure I understand," the crystal seer admitted. "It seems to... The altar allows the wedding to proceed but... That's odd".<p>

"What is?" Amentia asked confused.

"Never had this reading before," the seer said. "It seems to be awaiting... The true wedding? And the inevitable... Punchline? I'm not entirely sure, but the ceremony has the altar's blessing".

"Goody," Brandon mumbled.

"Don't mind him, cold feet," Amentia said. "Now, let us get the gifts exchanged".

"You really are the romantic type, aren't you," Brandon sarcastically added.

"And I've already chosen the gifts you will be giving me. I figured it would make things easier," Amentia continued.

"How considerate of you," Brandon said while rolling his eyes.

"I'm a very considerate person," Amentia stated.

"Why is the altar laughing?" the seer mumbled confused as the gifts were brought in. Flowers for Amentia and a ring for Brandon. Terribly generic gifts in the squire's opinion. He'd always imagined his wedding would have involved more personalised gifts. Then again, he also imagined that his wedding would be the real deal, not some sham cooked up by a nutty princess. He started getting lost in thought as he pondered exactly how he would have done his wedding. He probably wouldn't have wanted it to be a public spectacle like this one at least.

"Alright, then do you agree to be bound together, as more than just mates?" the seer asked.

"We do," Amentia quickly said before Brandon could get a word in, not that he seemed to be paying the ceremony any attention any more.

"Princess, I imagine your husband-to-be can speak for himself," the seer added.

"Right. Of course. Silly me," came Amentia's strained voice.

"So, Brandon, do you agree?" the seer asked.

Five seconds passed, as Brandon was still lost in his thoughts, until Amentia lightly kicked his shins, causing him to ask: "Huh? Yeah?"

"You heard him. He agrees," Amentia quickly said, while a bewildered Brandon tried catching up with current events.

"Very well. Then I declare this marriage binding, unless anyone else has anything to protest?" the seer said.

"I DO!" came a furious yell and everybody turned to see Stella stomp down a set of stairs in the side of the plaza. The blonde's clothes were torn and dirty from the exertion of the last couple of days, which combined with scars, wounds, tangled hair, the murderous glare and the ever-tightening grip on her sceptre made the blonde look quite imposing. "I AM PRINCESS STELLA GUILDENSTERN, HEIR TO THE THRONE OF SOLARIA AND I FORBID YOU FROM FORCING MY BOYFRIEND INTO MARRIAGE!"

"Don't mind her. Finish the ceremony," Amentia said quickly.

"Princess, it's okay to be enthusiastic, but there is a time and a place for it," the seer said. "Because I'm pretty sure that that declaration counts as a protest. And one that will need some explanation".

Suddenly, an explosion rang out and several guards were flung through a door in the other end, as a ragged Bloom, Sky and Aisha marched in, flanked by the pixies.

"Alright, let Brandon go. I will not sit by and watch you force my best friend into a marriage," Sky declared threateningly, pointing the sword at the altar. The troglodytes in the seats began to mumble and mutter.

"Princess, is there something you have forgotten to mention?" the seer asked innocently.

"No, they're just crazy. All of them," Amentia desperately said. "Just get the marriage over with".

"Actually..." Brandon began, only for Amentia to clamp a hand over his mouth.

The seer just kept looking at the princess in a way indicating he wasn't particularly busy with finishing anything any time soon.

At that moment there was a roar and several troglodytes scattered as a tunnel wyrm, ridden by Abrupto, slithered down the seats and unto the plaza.

"Stay!" Abrupto loudly ordered the serpentine creature, before jumping off and marching up towards the altar.

"Let me guess. You want to protest this marriage because it is forced?" the crystal seer dryly asked.

"Sums it up," Abrupto growled.

The seer turned to Amentia and seemed to await her response, although at this point she could only manage to mumble something that sounded like: "Mimblewimble".

A tense atmosphere descended ovn the plaza, as everyone awaited what would happen next. Amentia looked around, as the various people she had managed to piss off slowly surrounded the altar. And that's when she noticed Sponsus, who had been following Stella.

And when their eyes met, he didn't yell, demand or get ready to throw down. He just quietly asked: "Why?"

Something seemed to break inside Amentia. Her limbs shuddered as the slowly crumbling façade she had built up finally collapsed. "BECAUSE OF YOU!" she wailed. "BECAUSE YOU'RE BLUE AND I'M SUPPOSED TO MARRY SO I CAN HAVE LOTS OF CHILDREN. BUT I CAN'T MARRY ANY OTHER TROGLODYTE, BECAUSE I WANT YOU". She gasped as her pent up emotions exploded.

"You... What?" Sponsus asked confused.

"Don't you see," Amentia pleaded. "If I married another troglodyte, we could never be together. But there aren't any rules with somebody like Brandon. This way, we could be together".

"Sorry, but I think I notice a little flaw in that 'brilliant' plan of yours," Amore said as she fluttered up to the troglodyte princess.  
>"And that is?" the princess snapped.<p>

"Simple. In your clumsy quest to free yourself of any problems, you might have created a few new ones," Amore informed her. "Like, oh I don't know, maybe you should make sure Sponsus would be okay with this arrangement".

"Of course he would be," Amentia replied.

"Really now?" the pixie redhead asked. "That's a fact?"

"Yes," the troglodyte princess insisted.

"WRONG!" Amore roared at the princess, causing Amentia to flinch in shock. "You just assume that because that's how you want things to work out. Look at Sponsus and then tell me, without a hint of a doubt, that he would approve".

"He would," Amentia insisted and turned to Sponsus. "Right? You understand why this is necessary, right?" Her voice became steadily more and more uncertain as she stared at Sponsus. "You... You do understand, right? I... I did it for us, Sponsus".

"My dear, I would follow you to the highest mountain and into the deepest abyss," Sponsus started. "But I'm sorry to say that you are wrong. You did this for yourself. I'm sorry, but I could never be with you like this".

"Not only that, but you are this close to bringing the wrath of two entire countries down on your head," Sky added. "So I'm also pretty sure the welfare of your people and your country never crossed your mind in your haste to patch up this problem".

"Wouldn't be the first time," Abrupto added. "I was separated from my closest mate just because I was orange and thus 'Could find another'. She doesn't think of anybody but herself".

"Indeed and then there were the implications you were going mate with Brandon afterwards whether he liked it or not," Tune said disapprovingly. "That is just not okay. You ought to at least have the respect for others to get their consent".

"You think that was weird? I was forced into a medical examination on threats of having her doing an intimate examination herself in order to find out whether we could mate or not," Brandon added.

Amore stared at the princess with open mouth, before saying: "Alright, Princess. This is you". Then she began spinning around. She was now dressed in clothes that managed to mimic Amentia's pretty well and she continued by saying in a creepy voice: "Look at me. I'm princess Creepy-Pants. I'm here to steal your boyfriend and force him into a relationship. I'm also a potential rapist, just by the by".

Amentia seemed to shrink as the accusations kept pelting her.

That's when she sudden noticed her mother was besides her. There was a loud smack as her flattened hand hit her, almost sending the princess tumbling down the stairs. "What were you thinking?" she angrily asked. "If you wanted to marry a blue, why didn't you just say so instead of doing something so... So horrible? I expected better of you".

"But... You always said you... You hoped I would have tons of kids," the now completely broken Amentia stammered.

"That was a personal wish. Not an order," Quoeda frustratedly groaned. "We have plenty of blues in the family. The traditions say you should marry orange or yellow, yes, but it's not a requirement".

Amentia just stared at her mother, before completely collapsing before the altar.

Quoeda sighed heavily, turned to Brandon and said: "I do apologise. She has always had a habit of being stubbornly short-sighted. We had hoped giving her some more responsibility would help, but it seems to have spun out of control".

"As long as I don't get married, I'm willing to forgive and forget," Brandon said diplomatically. "Though I would also like to get properly dressed again".

"So, are we done here?" Stella asked.

"No, not yet," Sponsus said and marched up to Amentia. He looked at her, before reaching out with his hand. Shocked, the troglodyte princess took it and was pulled up. "Look," Sponsus began. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me. I know you never meant to hurt anybody. Or maybe I'm just being stupidly naïve in that regard. But I am willing to forgive you".

"Why?" Amentia asked confused.

"Because he loves you, silly girl," Amore sighed. "All you had to do was to go for the one you loved. There was never any need to make it this complicated. You've only made things harder for yourself".

"That is... I don't even know what to say," Amentia giggled sadly. She turned to the seer and said: "I'd like to finish the ceremony. But with a different husband. If, and only if, he wants me," she added, turning to Sponsus.

"I do," the blue-tinged troglodyte said.

"HIP HURRAY FOR TRUE LOVE!" Piff exclaimed.

"Well, then this bond has been forged. May your lives be filled with bright moments," the seer intoned. He moved his hands over the altar and said: "The crystal altar has one last message".

"And it is?" Amentia asked.

"Cherish the moments you have together, for all things must end," the priest said. "Well, words to live by in my opinion".

"Well, seems like this fracas is over with," Sky said. "Also, Brandon, my man, you look utterly ridiculous".

"Yeah. I know," the brunette squire sighed.

"And we owe you a big thanks, big guy," Sky said as he turned to Abrupto.

"Just didn't want her to end up like me," Abrupto added.

"Well, well, I was wondering if you were even going to show up," a voice said behind them and Abrupto's eyes seemed to widen.

He slowly turned, as if he was afraid that he was just imagining things and gasped: "Teela?"

"Missed me?" the yellow troglodyte asked. Abrupto didn't speak, he just enveloped her in a massive hug, easily lifting her off the ground. "I've missed you too," she giggled.

"I never thought you would come back," Abrupto said.

"I almost didn't," the yellow continued. "We had to go pretty far. The drought affected many of the nearby cities, so they had no room for us. But then invitations were sent out and I joined a troupe of travelling yellow tailors who brought me to Domum for free. I planned on seeing if you still had room for me".

"Always," Abrupto said.

"YAYNESS!" Piff exclaimed at all the tender scenes going on.

...

"I wouldn't believe it if you weren't all insisting on it being true," Riven said. The group had been escorted back to the surface, where they had quickly been able to signal somebody. Moments later, Timmy and Riven had swung by and picked them up in the Red Fountain owl.

"Well, this report will fill in a lot of blanks about the troglodytes," Timmy said as he finished writing. "There's been talk of more contact with them and possible trade. This will probably help a lot".

"Plus, Amentia was so grateful and sorry for it all that she gave us six bottles of the finest wine in all of Underland," Sky added, lifting the box with the bottles up. "So all in all, I look forward to happy hour".

"Didn't take you for a wine person," Riven said. "You always seem to be chugging down beers whenever you decide to fill up on alcohol".

"That's because beer tastes good and is cheaper," Sky replied.

"Right, because the crown prince of Eraklyon needs to save his money for, what, his second gold plated yacht?" Riven snarked.

"Actually, I'm considering making the next one diamond studded," Sky shot back with a smirk.

"I'm just happy to be back on the surface again," Stella said happily, using Brandon's shoulder as a pillow. "I've missed the sun so much".

"And now we're heroes," Bloom said. "We actually accomplished saving the pixies, despite everything".

"Right. We've managed to correct my unfortunate mistake," Aisha added.

"Don't get any ideas into your pretty little heads," Riven advised. "I'll admit that you all got some pretty good skills and some experience. But according to this report you just gave me, you were also really lucky".

"What, jealous that our luck beats your skills?" Stella asked.

"Not at all. Because my skills will at least never result in anything quite as ludicrous as what you all just went through," Riven replied. "What with poor Brandon here almost having to bone a lizard".

"Yeah, could we not ever talk about that ever again?" Brandon asked in an annoyed tone. "I would appreciate that".

"Alright, Alfea is just ahead," Timmy said. "Say hi to Techna for me. And good luck with the teachers".

"What, you think the celebration party is going to overwhelm us?" Bloom cheekily asked as she picked up three of the wine flasks.

"I heard the reception will be quite something," Riven said with a smirk. "Have fun".

"Will do," Stella said as the three girls and the pixies left the owl. They confidently strode through the iron gates of Alfea and then halted. Faragonda had shown up to meet them, although from the expression she had, she was not there to throw them a 'Welcome back, heroines' party. Musa and Flora were also there on a bench to the side, looking quite disapproving, accompanied by Techna, who was giving them all a big grin and thumbs up.

"Hi," Bloom weakly started. "Funny story, you know. We've just been to Underland. And Brandon almost got married. Ha ha, isn't that hilarious?"

No one laughed, though Techna did chuckle.

Faragonda sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose and asked in that really disappointed voice that could make just about anyone feel bad: "Bloom, I consider you a smart young girl. Maybe not brilliant, maybe inexperienced, but smart. So with that in mind, could you possibly inform me how this managed to seem like a good idea?"

"Ehm... Eh... Uhhh," the redhead mumbled and fidgeted with her fingers.  
>"We had to free the pixies. And we managed to do so," Aisha stated, pointing to said pixies. "See, they're free".<p>

"She's right. We are free," Piff said jubilantly.  
>Faragonda spent a moment rubbing her temples before continuing with: "I want you girls to imagine a hypethetical scenario. Imagine a man on Limphea who runs into the forest naked while screaming his phone-number as loud as he can. You would think that the man is an idiot with little regard for his own safety. If he in the process manages to scare of a predator that was about to eat somebody else, thus saving them, would that suddenly make him stop being an idiot and start making him a hero?"<p>

"Ehm... Was it intentional?" Stella asked, causing Flora to facepalm.

"Even if it was intentional, there are thousands of dangers on Limphea that makes that particular course of action foolhardy at best," Faragonda sternly continued. "There would be many better options available. Thus, while I commend you on actually managing to free the pixies, I cannot consider your actions to be the product of anything but a complete lack of consideration and forethought. You have been short-sighted, risked too much and managed to ruin Avalon's cover when you had to be saved".

"Reminds me of a certain other princess we ran into," Tune mused.

"Don't go there," Stella warned the pixie.

"Despite all this, the school does not vest me with any power to punish you for this. This is outside my influence and jurisdiction, so I can only disapprove of your actions," Faragonda continued.

Bloom and Stella breathed a sigh of relief.

"But I can punish you for skipping classes without informing your teachers," the headmistress continued. "So expect to spend the next month assisting with various chores. I will also be writing your parents some letters. And yes, that does include you, Aisha. Griselda will be in contact with you. Now do yourself a favour and get to the hospital wing". Then the ageing fairy marched off. On the bench, both Musa and Flora looked quite satisfied with the verdict, while Techna took the chance to charge up to the girls and ask: "Why did you leave me behind?"

"Sorry, you weren't there when we left," Bloom said apologetically.

"I know. Damn it. It would totally have been worth a month of odd jobs," Techna said, shaking her head. "So what's up with Prince being married?"

"Prince?" Stella asked.  
>"You know, your boyfriend," Techna said. "Come on, did you two get hitched or what?"<p>

"It's a long, long story. A story that is both kinda stupid, kinda weird and maybe also just a tad bit pointless," Bloom said.

"Awesome, those are the best kind of stories," Techna replied happily. "Let's go back to the common room. Then you can pop open one of those bottles of yours and tell us all about your long, stupid, weirdass adventure of pointlessness".

Bloom eyed the pixies for a moment, before thoughtfully saying: "Well, it wasn't entirely pointless".


	7. Of Mysteries and Monoliths

Chapter 7: Of Mysteries and Monoliths

A day passed after the girls' exciting adventure to the land down under. Visits to Ophelia followed by an actually pretty fun evening just chilling out had done wonders for Bloom, Stella and Aisha, not to mention how relaxing it had been for the redhead to finally interact with her beloved pet Kiko again. The pixies had gone off, getting temporary lodging with Concorda, which honestly irked Bloom a bit, as she would have loved to introduce the pixies to her other fairy friends. She would also have loved not to get an almost hour long phone call from her parents, were they had scolded her for being so reckless and careless, though they had still praised her for wanting to do the right thing. And then there was the punishment, which wasn't a particular duty like last time, but instead being first picks for any odd job the teachers felt they needed help with. Fortunately, both Bloom and Stella were saved from cleaning the halls the next day by Faragonda requesting their presence. They made their way to her office, where they ran into Musa, Flora, Aisha and Techna, before entering the headmistress' office.

"Hello girls. I hope you have recovered from your ordeals," the ageing fairy greeted them warmly. Bloom felt relieved that the headmistress had gone back to being warm and grandmotherly. She vastly preferred her that way.

"What did you want to see us for, headmistress?" Flora politely inquired.

"Numerous things," Faragonda stated. "Now, before I begin, I want you to know that I do not make a habit of elaborating on information like this for students. Not that this is secret knowledge, just a bit obscure, but we are teachers, not newscasters. The thing is, Bloom, Stella and especially Aisha have already been involved deeply with this matter. And since I've also been young once, I am fully aware that what I tell those three will get to the rest of you before long, so I might as well just tell you all. At least that way, I'm sure that nothing gets lost in translation".

"Hey, I am an impeccable gossiper," Stella insisted.

Aisha raised an eyebrow and asked: "You're a magazine?"

Techna turned and poked Stella, before asking: "Hey, do you have a sports section, Suntop?"

"Stop poking," Stella said and slapped the offending finger away. "And why did you think of a magazine, Aisha?"

"My dad says that magazines are filled with slanderous gossipers, so that just confused me," Aisha explained.

"So I imagine. And that is also relevant to something else I will be bringing up soon," Faragonda continued. "Also, I will allow myself to correct you, Stella. After all, you were the one that spread the rumour that Palladium had gotten together with a fun guy".

"I was just happy for him. How was I to know he had just been excited about getting a new batch of mushrooms?" the Solarian princess muttered while looking away.

"This information, is it something we should keep secret from our classmates?" Flora asked.

"You aren't under oath or anything. As I said, the information can be found, it has just been scattered across different sources. I'm merely adding some context to these scattered bits of information. But if you want to share with your classmates, I ask of you, please do it to inform and enlighten and not just to scare," the headmistress of Alfea said. "The situation is already capable of developing in very unfortunate ways without us having to worry about panicking students".

"Don't ya worry, Granny. We're not interesting in causing a stampede," Techna said reassuringly.

"Granny? Well, I should probably consider myself more fortunate than Ms. Griselda then," Faragonda mused with a smile.  
>"Grumpy was fitting IMO," Techna said with a shrug. "But then she just stopped calling me Techna and she only started again when I promised to not nickname her. Only managed to prove the grumpy thing, but 'ey, that's how it goes I guess".<p>

"So to start off, I want to talk to you about Darkar," Faragonda said. "Or rather, the Shadow Phoenix. You see, while the name Darkar is new, the moniker Shadow Phoenix is not. Nor are the creatures he's associated with. Back when the Ancestral Witches were running amok, there was another great danger. Alexios the Apostate, also known as the Crusader of Darkfire, the Messiah of Blessed Annihilation, the Bringer of Final Purity and yes, the Shadow Phoenix. He gathered an army, both of the undead monstrosities you've encountered and fanatical followers, by promising to cleanse the universe of its sinfulness and create a utopian paradise. The attention of governments were split between both, as they rampaged across the worlds. It was a harsh time. I happen to know that Alexios was killed when an army lead by the nymph Wu Gong invaded the castle of Shadowhaunt, though it cost him his life. Few survived the assault, but the threat of the Shadow Phoenix was over. Or so we thought".

"Appropriately for his nickname, he rose again," Musa commented.

"Indeed. And going through older texts shows that a Shadow Phoenix pops up quite often, usually a couple of times per century. Sometimes he is quickly defeated, sometimes he becomes a larger threat. He never wears the same face, the same name or the same mannerism. But they all share the same moniker, the same strange powers and the same goal".

"And that goal would be?" Bloom asked.

"I'm sorry, but that is a secret. One that I have sworn to keep, for everyone's safety," Faragonda replied.

"That is okay. We understand that some information has to remain limited," Flora said diplomatically.

"Thank you. That is all of what I can tell you about the Shadow Phoenix. If you remain curious, I do hope you've learned how to use the library by now," Faragonda stated.

"What about Icy, Stormy and Darcy?" Bloom asked. "We had a run in with them while in Shadowhaunt".

"Yes. Darkar freed them from Lightrock Monastery," Faragonda explained. "If you want to know how they could possibly develop new powers so quickly, I'm sorry to say that I simply don't know. Old texts do mention something referred to as The Phoenix's Gift. Something about the Shadow Phoenix's champions always developing unusual abilities, but I am not aware of the details. All I know is that it allowed them to overwhelm several trained guards when they escaped Lightrock. Now then, as for the next thing I have to discuss with you..." She clapped her hands and into the room flew Glim, Piff, Tune, Amore and Livy. "Concorda doesn't have the room for both her assistants and these guests. And they cannot go home".

"Why?" Aisha questioned.

"Because Darkar is searching for Pixie Village," Faragonda explained. "As long as the village remain hidden, they'll be safe. But Darkar has an uncanny ability to sniff out information. If they go back, we risk them leading him right to it. Therefore, they will stay in Alfea until further notice. On that note, they have expressed an interest in using your common room, since they are already acquainted with some of you. If you want them, that is".

Piff started giving the girls big wet puppy eyes accompanied by a quivering lip, while Amore was now wearing typical baby clothes, with a sign on front saying 'Please give this pixie a good home'. Tune stared at the two as if she was utterly convinced they had gone stark raving mad, while Glim pinched her nose in frustration and Livy was too busy investigating a rather large dust bunny to form an opinion on the pixies' theatrics.

Then Bloom and Stella joined in on the whole puppy eyes thing, sending their cluster-mates long, pleading looks.

"I'm almost tempted to say no just to see what would happen," Musa mused.

"You'd probably get to wake up to those mugs for the rest of your time in Alfea," Techna said. "Just with an extra side dish of 'How could you?'".

"Right, not worth it," Musa said. "Well, I don't see any issues then".

"Me neither. It will most likely be an enlightening experience," Flora stated.

"AND WE'RE IN, EVERYBODY!" Piff jubilantly exclaimed, while Amore marched around with a big drum and a party horn, making quite the racket.

"Well, I do suppose there's nothing wrong with a little excitement over your generosity," Tune politely, but loudly stated in order to be heard. "Of course, despite their diminutive size, nothing they do can ever really be called 'little'".

"Wow, thanks for the warning," Musa dryly added, glaring at the grinning Bloom and Stella.

"Don't know what your problem is, Cacophony. You make plenty of noise yourself with all that blowing you do," Techna said.

"You intentionally worded that to sound bad, didn't you?" the black-haired girl asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Eyup," came the cheerful reply.

"Alright, settle down everybody, I still have more news to share," Faragonda said, finally bringing calm back to the office. "Now then, Aisha, your father called me after he got my message and we've been talking".

"Yes?" the brunette princess asked.

"And after a rather long and frustrating conversation, I managed to make him see that much of what happened was a result of isolation and a general lack of knowledge about the worlds at large," Faragonda explained. "He's agreed to let you enrol on Alfea in order to get you more experience with life outside the castle, though he wanted me to inform you that you can cancel your enrolment here any time you want".

"Weird. They always said I've learned so much," came Aisha's puzzled reply.

"Right, but they probably mean stuff like... Remember when I was hungry and I talked about eating raw roos?" Bloom asked. "You said we would need a chef, but not only could we have made our own food, if the roo is raw, that would mean it hadn't been prepared".

"Oh," Aisha said a bit surprised. "I... I haven't really made food before. The chef just sends it to us three times a day".

"And Alfea will help you learn such things while advancing your magical studies and giving you the opportunity to bond with people outside your usual social circles," Faragonda explained. "If you want to, of course".

"If you could convince my dad of it, I will not doubt his wisdom. I accept enrolment," Aisha stated.

"Good. I've arranged for you to share student apartment with Stella," the headmistress said. "I trust it won't be a problem".

"It won't. Well then, is there anything else?" Stella questioned.

"Yes, but that is a matter between me and Bloom. So I'll see the rest of you around," Faragonda said.

Goodbyes were said as everyone but the princess of Domino left.

"Is something wrong?" Bloom asked after the door to the office had been closed again.

"There is an issue, but nothing that can't be fixed," Faragonda said and walked over to a closet. "But we'll get to that part soon enough". She opened the closet and withdrew from it a massive burlap sack full of letters, one heavy enough to even cause the headmistress trouble. "These are for you," she wheezed as she put the sack down on a chair, causing the poor furniture to creak from the weight. "These all arrived while you were gone".

"And here I though the amount was finally starting to lessen," Bloom sighed. "I'm almost tempted to go back to Underland, just to escape the mail".

"Never works in the long run," Faragonda sagely advised. "Now, I respect you enough to refrain from opening them, even though they are scanned for potential curses and enchantments as per usual Alfea policy. But I'm pretty sure I can guess what a majority of them are about".

"Why would you scan for enchantments? Aren't they usually helpful?" Bloom asked.

"You wouldn't think so if somebody had sent you a letter to 'helpfully' upgrade your bust size," Faragonda stated dryly.

"Oh. I see," Bloom stated delicately, suddenly eyeing the letters with a degree of suspicion.

"Back to the subject, do you remember being interviewed by a journalist while on a trip to Magicalis shortly before your expedition?" Faragonda asked.

"Hmm, don't think so," the redhead mumbled.

"Asked you about who was taking care of you," Faragonda added helpfully.

"Right. It was while Aisha was still in the hospital wing. I remember," Bloom recollected. "Though I wouldn't call it an interview. It was more of a quick chat, really".

"That's not how he saw it," Faragonda said and pulled a newspaper from a drawer in her table. "And I suspect many nobles have reacted to these... Well, lacking a proper term, news".

Bloom glared at the newspaper, more specifically, the big black headline. "Newly found princess of Domino practically an orphan," she read aloud as she studied the article. "Adoptive parents currently completely incapable of providing for her due to almost complete non-contact with Earth. How will this carelessness affect the future ruler?" The newspaper crinkled as Bloom's grip on it tightened. "Headmistress, am I allowed to set fire to this guy?"

"You'll have to wait until you're queen," Faragonda jokingly replied. "Still, there is a point buried in there, no matter how much he didn't intend to make one. Your guardians are far away from this world, not even officially recognised by the authorities due to the complete non-contact with your planet. And that makes you seem, well, vulnerable. So many people, celebrities, royals and politicians have probably offered to become your legal guardians until you are ready to become queen. Some are probably well meant, others cynical attempts to gain power over you".

"And I'm supposed to sort through those offers?" Bloom asked, eyeing the sack with dread.

"I have an alternative solution," Faragonda kindly said. "I talked it over with your parents when I told them about your little escapade. I can become your legal guardian until your time in Alfea is over. I consider myself very apolitical, though nobody truly is I suppose," the ageing headmistress briefly mused. "We also agreed to leave the choice to you".

"That would make things a lot easier," Bloom said with a relieved smile. "And I've never had reason to think you'd want to manipulate me. In fact, you've done everything possible to help me. So if you'd be my guardian until I'm done here at Alfea, I'd be grateful".

"Then I will get the paperwork in order. Though you will probably also have to tell it to the press at some point," Faragonda said, before she shifted to a much more stern voice: "Also, if you ever do anything as reckless as that unannounced field trip again, I will not hesitate to punish you as if you'd been my own child. I happen to know how to make spells that will ensure no TV will turn on near you for weeks".

Bloom gulped and said: "Understood, headmistress".

"Now go. I'm sure your friends are waiting for you," the ageing headmistress said and lightly ruffled Bloom's hair.

...

"Welcome to your new home," Stella happily said to the pixies, as she lead them into the common room. "I'm, like, not really sure how this will work, but we'll tots figure it out in time".

"I could probably build something for them," Techna said. "Just have to finish putting the new cooling system together. I've almost got it. Just need to straighten out a few kinks".

"Then it's not too late for me to reserve a room in the downstairs bunker," Musa snarked.

As soon as the door to the common room was closed, Stella eagerly turned to pixies and asked: "By the by, do any of you pixies know what Darkar wants from Pixie Village?"

"I thought Faragonda said that was a secret," Flora said sternly.

"She said she had sworn to keep it secret," Stella pointed out.

"Yeah, for everyone's safety," Musa added.

"Then let's, like, hope she doesn't say anything," Stella replied, before returning her attention to the pixies. "Now, spill the beans".

"Sorry, I'm drawing a blank," Piff replied. "There's things hidden in Pixie Village, but that's for the elders to concern themselves about".

"And don't let Tune's hair fool you, she isn't any older than the rest of us," Amore added.

"Maybe, but I am fortunately much more mature," Tune huffed.

"Also known as being stuffy," Piff singsonged, earning her a glare from the grey-haired pixie.

"These guys are a riot," Techna said happily. "Now I'm even sadder that I didn't get to join you on your little underworld trip".

"You wouldn't have liked it," Amore said. "We were chased through a town by a pack of ravenous tunnel wyrms".

"Wha... What?" Techna said, before turning to Bloom and accusingly saying, while giving her the pointy finger: "Why you... You didn't even mention that".

"Would it have changed your mind?" Bloom asked.

"Changed it? Now I regret not coming along even more," the scarred girl moaned. "That's, like, something out of an action movie".

"Everybody's crazy," Glim groaned while rolling her eyes.

...

Meanwhile, in the restricted library, Concorda sat down and waited. Not soon after, bluish shapes formed, soon resembling three other pixies. One was Discorda from Cloud Tower. The two others were respectively a pixie with long flowing hair wearing a toga and a robe-clad pixie with unruly hair and a staff.

"Ah, Concorda. I take it that you finally have some information for us," the pixie in robes said.

"Indeed I do, Ninfea," Concorda confirmed. "And it's not good news. By all accounts, this Shadow Phoenix is much like the last one in regards to his powers. And is quite possible after the same goal".

"Is there a reason to suspect he knows where they all are?" Discorda asked.

"They haven't been moved and he knew where they were the last time," Concorda said.

"That would explain why he's going after Pixie Village," the toga-clad pixie said. "We also need to keep in mind that Red Fountain is still quite vulnerable after last year's great conflict. We were fortunate that the Usurpers did not know of its existence last year or they would surely have taken it".

"Right, but what should we do?" Discorda asked.

"I will shut off Pixie Village completely," Ninfea declared. "He must never find them all and sealing off Pixie Village is the best way to ensure that at least one remains outside his grasp".

"Then the rest of us must warn the staff of our schools and be on guard," Concorda sighed. "Let us hope he stays put".

"I doubt it. The guy attacked Lightrock Monastery," Discorda reminded them. "And he got away with it too".

"This has the potential to become just as bad as last time," the toga-clad pixie muttered.

"Not really, no," Concorda corrected her. "Fortunately for us, nothing akin to the Ancestral Witches are spreading chaos and destruction across the worlds this time around".

"In that case, should warnings be sent out to other countries?" the toga-clad pixie pondered.

"Possibly. I suggest we convene with the respective leaders of the schools, as they are a bit more in touch with those things," Concorda advised.

"You do that. I shall keep Pixie Village hidden until the threat has passed once more," Ninfea said and vanished.

"I do not approve of the council of elders' strategy of playing the turtle," the toga pixie muttered annoyed.

"What would you have them do, Athena? Pixie Village doesn't have anything even resembling an army," Discorda questioned.

"And maybe that's part of the problem," Athena replied. "We can't just sit on our asses and expect the rest of the multiverse to come rescue us. Need I remind you how close we got to failing at our task last time?"

"Right. But Pixie Village managed to keep theirs, exactly because they remained hidden," Discorda argued.  
>"It doesn't matter," Concorda sighed. "We'll just have to wait and see. This Shadow Phoenix might not be so dangerous this time around".<p>

"Lightrock Monastery," Discorda repeated ominously.

...

Days passed and turned into weeks, which turned into months. The weather began changing, as did the local foliage, slowly going from the green of spring to the brown of autumn. It was one such autumn day, with dark clouds covering the sky and rain pelting against the windows while the wind howled fiercely, that the girls were sitting in the common room, wasting time until the next class. And then Livy flew into the room, a letter on her back and a big smile on her face.

"Well, somebody's in a good mood," Stella commented as she stopped painting her nails for a second. "What's up, Livy?"

"Faragonda agreed to make me internal messenger of Alfea," the pixie messenger said proudly.

"Good," Glim said in a mixture of relief and congratulations.

"Does that mean you'll refrain from jumping and racing all over the room all the time?" Tune asked. "Because that was rather annoying".

"She's just been anxious because she didn't have anything to do," Bloom interjected.

"Oh, and I've already got my first assignment. A letter for all of you," Livy said happily and threw the letter on the table. "Well, everyone but Stella and us pixies, of course".

"Intriguing. Let us have a look," Flora said and opened the message. "It says that the next class in general spellcasting has been moved outside".

Musa stared at the brunette, before throwing a glance outside and sarcastically said: "They really couldn't have chosen a better day for it".

"Does it say why?" Aisha asked.  
>"It does not," Flora replied. "Only that we should go to the nearby river. And bring appropriate clothes".<p>

"In this weather, that would mean bringing a snorkel and a bathing suit," Bloom commented. "Heck, I think I saw some fish swim by the window earlier".

"What I want to know is, why do Suntop here get to sit this one out?" Techna questioned.

"Because we're not in the same grade," Stella said happily. "So I get to stay in here, where it's warm and dry".

"Rub it in, why don't you," Musa said and rolled her eyes.

"What do we need to learn that can't be done in the classroom?" Bloom pondered for herself. "Did you do anything like this last year, Stella?"  
>"Maybe," came the smug reply.<p>

...

"Well... That didn't use to be there," Musa stated

"Maybe we can touch it and see that it's full of stars," Bloom joked.

"Awhat?" Techna asked confused.

"Nevermind, pop culture reference," the redhead replied.

They had all dressed in waterproof gear, except Aisha, who dressed in fine clothes and compensated by using her magic to shield herself from the rain, and gone outside, where they quickly ran into other classmates. All of them walked through the dreadful autumn weather down to the river, where Faragonda awaited them. Not that many even noticed her at first, what with the enormous black monolith that sat in the middle of the river. It was easily as tall as Alfea and would have cast quite the imposing shadow in better weather.

"What is that?" a student asked.

"Your next lesson in general spellcasting," Faragonda explained. "The task is simple. All other classes today and tomorrow have been cancelled. You have twenty-four hours to destroy the monolith".

"Is this one of those tests were the answer is to not destroy the monolith?" Bloom asked.

"An intriguing idea, but no. The monolith is to be destroyed," Faragonda confirmed.

"Why?" another student asked.

"All such questions will be answered at the end of this class," Faragonda said as she began walking away. "Best of luck to you all".

A couple of moments passed, before the students began pelting the black stone with a wide variety of spells.

...

"I am starting to suspect that this monolith is not made from any ordinary material," Flora mused.

"Gee, what gave you the hint," Musa breathed heavily. "The fact that we've had an entire class of faeries hurling everything, up to and including the kitchen sink, at this blasted thing for over an hour?"

"That and the fact that you have not been able to mark it in any way," Flora added.

The assembled students had made neither dent nor scratch in the things' obsidian surface. The only evidence of their sustained attack was the occasional bits of ice or mud that clung to its surface, only to easily be washed away by the downpour.

"Hang on. I think I got a dohickey for this," Techna said and dug through her backpack. "Here. A mineral scanner. With wings".

The others stared at the contraption. It looked like the love-child of an old video-recorder and a model plane that had been puked on by the bargain bin of a hardware store.

"Is it aerodynamic?" Flora asked.

"Possibly," Techna said, before yelling to her classmates: "HEY, EVERYBODY, COOL IT WITH THE SPELLS FOR A MOMENT!"

The various students turned to watch the scarred girl.

"Alright, let's get a look," Techna said, as the thing buzzed off. It flew up to the dark stone, hovered by it for a few seconds and then returned to its owner. A screen popped up from its back, which Techna read while mumbling something. Then she picked up a random rock and had the machine analyse it too. "Well, this is new. According to the scanner, the monolith doesn't exist".

"Are you sure it isn't broken?" Musa asked.

"Completely. Even scanned a random rock to be sure," Techna replied. "The black thing of doom, whatever it is, doesn't exist. Or maybe it's enchanted to be unscannable".

"Alright, that was a bust," one of their classmates said. "Well, let's try blowing it up again. Jerry, check if heating it up will do anything".

"Faragonda has created quite the puzzle," Flora stated. "I suspect that this monolith is not just some enchanted piece of rock".

"But then what is it?" Bloom wondered while scratching her head. "Do you think drawing on the dragonflame will help?"

"No. I honestly think that brute force is out of the question," Flora said. "This is a much more cerebral challenge".

"Aisha, do you have any ideas?" Musa asked and turned to the brunette princess, who was watching the whole thing.

"Oh, no, not at all. My classmates seem to know what they're doing," Aisha said.

Musa looked back to their classmates, were Kim was once again trying to topple the monolith with a tidal wave. "Our classmates seem to be stuck in a holding pattern," the black-haired girl snarked.

"Back on Earth, they used to say that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results each time," Bloom mused.

"In that case, most of our class is completely bonkers," Musa added.

"In any case, I will be returning to the school," Flora said. "Perhaps some research will cast some light over this conundrum".

"I'll come with you. I need a warm bath," Musa said and shuddered.

"Are you staying here?" Bloom asked Aisha.

"No, I'd rather go home. The wind is rather cold today," Aisha noted.

"Why not wear something warmer then?" Flora asked.

"I do not seem to have anything for such an occasion," Aisha admitted. "Something which I will have to correct soon enough".

As the girls left alongside a few of their classmates, they could hear the continued sound of the classmates that stayed behind battering the uncaring and unchanging surface of the black monolith.

...

A fair bit of distance away, at the military academy of Red Fountain, Sky looked out the window of the trailer he currently lived in. In the distance, the noise of construction equipment and machinery could be heard. The school was almost completely rebuilt, with facilities like the hangar and the kitchen already working. What hadn't been finished yet was what Saladin considered minor things, like the barracks for example. So all the students who weren't fortunate enough to have had their part of the barracks spared had to live in trailers that had been parked outside the school. This included Sky and his team.

The blond prince sighed and stared at his phone.

"Is that thing glued to your hand or what?" Riven asked. He and Timmy were currently playing a card game by the small kitchen table.

"I just don't get it. Why hasn't Bloom called back yet?" Sky pondered.

"Maybe, and this might sound incredible, she went out but forgot her phone in her room," Brandon suggested as he looked up from the newspaper. "Or maybe she's in class and can't take it".

"But it's getting late," Sky insisted.

"Techna hasn't responded to my attempts to chat with her either, but you don't see me get all unravelled over it," Timmy said as he put a card down. "Give it time, Sky. She'll call you once she's ready".

"Maybe she's just nervous because she wants to tell Sky that she's really not the princess of Domino, but instead she's been the princess' squire in disguise all along," Riven joked.

"Nah, that would be stupid," Timmy replied while drawing a card, while the Eraklian prince and squire both rolled their eyes.

...

The next day, an air of frustration hung over the class. The weather had improved a bit, with no rain and way less wind. But most students didn't care, their attentions grabbed by the enormous black hunk of rock that they had been ordered to annihilate. And now, it seemed like they wouldn't even be able to manage to chip a single piece of it off before class was over. Many of the students had given up, sitting down to wait for the time to run out. Others kept pelting the rock until they ran themselves ragged and tired and were forced to lie down by concerned classmates. Others had formed study groups, looking up various minerals, rock types, artefacts and the like, hoping to run across a set of instructions for how to topple imposing black monoliths.

"I'm starting to suspect that not being able to break it is somehow part of the point," Bloom speculated.

"Either that, or somebody screwed up and accidentally assigned us a final exam level task or something," Musa grumbled.

"Well, it ain't because it's immune to magic or anything," Techna said. "I tried with some regular explosives and they didn't work either".

"And now your eyebrows are missing," Bloom commented.

"Eh, they'll grow back," Techna replied while dusting some soot out of her hair.

"Well, the time is almost up. I look forward to having Faragonda reveal what we did wrong," Flora noted while watching her watch.

"Well, what do you think about the whole thing?" Bloom asked as she turned to Aisha.

"That I would never allow that thing in my garden," Aisha stated. "I don't care how indestructible it is, it would clash horribly with the flowers".

"As always, she's prioritising the important things in life," Musa sarcastically muttered.

Suddenly, murmurs spread amongst the students and the girls turned to look. Professor Avalon had suddenly appeared. Resolutely, paying no mind to the students, he marched to the river's edge. He pointed at the monolith, a look of intense concentration on his face. And then, rather suddenly, the black stone crumbled into dust. The paladin turned to the shocked students and asked: "Any questions?"

"Uh, yeah," Techna said. "I'd like to start with what? And then swiftly move on to the fuck?"

"Anyone have an actual question?" Avalon asked, scanning the students. "Jenny".

"Yes. What did you just do?" one fairy asked.

"I unravelled the enchantment with a counter spell," Avalon replied. "I see you're confused. Let me explain. What you took for a stone was actually an enchantment given a resemblance of a physical form. Despite this, it was still purely magical energy".

"That explains your readings, or rather, lack thereof," Flora said quietly to Techna.

"You're probably pondering what the point of all this was," Avalon continued. "To be honest, we never expected you to succeed. It would have been quite an accomplishment. No, this was a demonstration. As you may all have noticed, hurling your respective knacks at the monolith did not help. But I could destroy it with a simple spell. This will be the core of this year's spellcasting training. We will focus on general spells and metamagic. Respectively, the art of causing effects not linked to knacks and the art of affecting magic with magic. Now, I have trained in counterspells for years, so I made it seem easy. Even if you had known the stone's true nature and known what sort of counterspell to use, I doubt you could have broken Faragonda's magic. Now then, I think that covers the basics. Any more questions? Yes, Musa".

"Okay, fair enough with the demonstration, but why put us through this?" Musa asked. "Couldn't you just have said what you just said without the indestructible stone of annoyance?"

"Experience shows that people grow attached to their knacks," the paladin started. "They rely on them. Easy to understand why. Knacks are easy and come natural. They are a core part of you and you can quickly learn how to utilize all facets of them to create spectacular results. General spells are much harder and relies on training, focus, discipline and lots of hard work. So does metamagic. It is easy for magi to come to the assumption that general spells and metamagic are somehow inferior. This is simply not true. General spells allow you to branch out. All paladins train in several useful general spells. My ability to fly and armour myself instantaneously has nothing to do with my knack. Yes, Kim".

"Does that mean you will be teaching us again?" the fairy asked.

"Yes. Flora, you have a question,"" the paladin said.

"Just out of curiosity, what is you're knack?" Flora asked.

Avalon took a deep breath. Not as if he was ashamed of what he was about to say, but because he was well aware of what the reaction would be. He took a deep breath and said with as much dignity he could muster: "Bubbles".

To the faeries' credit, they managed to last eight seconds before widespread laughter broke out. Avalon weathered it with his usual stoicism.

Afterwards, the students began returning to Alfea, but Avalon caught up with Bloom as the redhead began the trek back.

"May I have a moment of your time?" the paladin requested.

"Sure. What is it, professor?" Bloom said.

"Headmistress Faragonda has requested that I assist you in learning about, amongst other things, the politics of the multiverse that will no doubt affect your life as princess and queen," Avalon explained. "So if you're interested, come to my office this evening and we'll talk about how to arrange your royal studies in a non-intrusive way".

"I'd like that. I've heard snippets from the others, but getting a comprehensive overview is probably for the best," Bloom said.

"Most excellent. You have a good day now," the paladin replied.

...

That evening, under the cover of darkness, a determined Sky raced to Alfea on his aircycle, followed by Brandon who was at risk of wearing out his eyes from almost constantly rolling them. They parked not far from the school, were after Sky began using every single one of his stealth techniques to jump from shadow to shadow in order to approach the school.

Brandon just casually followed, shaking his head. "Remind me again how you came to this conclusion?" the squire finally inquired, as the two of the approached the open grounds behind the school

"Bloom hasn't called me back yet. And with all that's been going on, I need to ensure there's nothing wrong," Sky said as they made their way across the grounds. "That tree will be perfect". He athletically made his way up the plant, nimbly leaping from branch to branch.

"Did you ever think about perhaps coming over here in daytime and just asking her how things are going?" Brandon asked.

"If something is wrong, it might be best if I find out without anyone knowing," Sky replied. "Besides, if I ask her and nothing is wrong, I'll end up looking silly and stupid in front of her again".

"As opposed to looking silly and stupid in front of me," Brandon muttered, while the blond prince used binoculars to scout the school windows.

Meanwhile, inside the school itself, Avalon opened the door to his office and let Bloom in. The office was small and decorated with an eye towards being utilitarian, with everything but a desk for various pictures and such being of some practical use.

"Alright then, before we begin scheduling any additional meetings, I have a question for you," Avalon started. "You will be a queen, that is, you will be a leader. But what is a leader?"

"One who leads?" Bloom guessed, before mentally slapping herself for giving what had to be the dumbest possible reply.

"Correct. Now, what does that concept mean to you, Bloom?" Avalon asked. "What does it mean to lead? How should one lead?"

"I haven't really thought that much about it," Bloom admitted. "But I guess... I guess it means looking out for those you lead and trying to make decisions that benefit and help them".

"An excellent answer," Avalon approvingly replied. "But to become such a leader, you must be careful. You must be calm and rational, and capable of sorting facts while weighing options. You must know when to act and when to hold back. A people is a dangerously unbalanced entity, Bloom. If you want to be a good leader, expect a lot of hard work".

"You mean unlike the whole Underland thing," the redhead muttered.

"I did not wish to bring it up, but yes, such recklessness is dangerous in leaders," Avalon said. "Do not get the impression that a good leader is flawless. But you have to learn to take a deep breath and examine how to achieve a given objective".

"Alright. I'll try to do that then," Bloom said with determination.

Meanwhile, Sky still sat in a tree and loudly pondered: "Why is she hanging out with that teacher? Classes stopped hours ago".

"Look, I know Red Fountain runs a pretty tight ship, but other schools can be pretty flexible with their schedules," Brandon said.

"But then why is Bloom hanging out with that teacher all alone?" Sky asked.

"Maybe she's concerned about some homework. Maybe she failed a test and they're discussing what went wrong," Brandon guessed. "Or maybe, and hold on to your princely hair here, maybe you could frickin' ask her".

"But she hasn't called me back," Sky replied.

"And that's why you could, I don't know, maybe just visit her," Brandon suggested, starting to get a bit annoyed..

"But we aren't really dating or hanging that much at the moment. It would seem weird," Sky argued,

"How does it feel to be soaking in so much irony?" Brandon asked. "You're infiltrating the school at night in order to spy on the girl you've got a crush on, because she hasn't responded to your phone calls, because you want to ask her on a date and has gotten super paranoid. That isn't merely weird. That's super weird. And that makes you a super weirdo".

"Look, I'm just looking out for her..." Sky started, but was interrupted by a loud crack, as his weight finally beat the load bearing capacity of his chosen branch. His next word was a drawn out: "SHIT!" as he plummeted to the grass, followed by a broken: "Medic".

Brandon sighed and went to assist his fallen prince with a: "Just for the record, I do not feel sorry for you".


	8. Red Fountain Reborn

Chapter 8: Red Fountain Reborn

Bloom looked up at the once imposing, now just kinda shabby, walls of Red Fountain. "Didn't they say the place had been rebuilt?" she asked and turned to the others.

All students of Alfea had been invited to the grand reopening of Red Fountain and most had shown up for the event. Not that the school hadn't functioned, but many of its facilities had been closed down due to the damage sustained during the previous school year's conflict. But now, the school was supposedly working again.

Accompanying the royal redhead were her friends and the pixies, plus Mirta, who was walking hand in hand with Flora. "Maybe it is just the interior that has been rebuilt" Flora replied as she studied the walls.

"You'd think after all that's happened, solid walls would be a priority," Musa said.

"Most likely the walls have been stabilised and they're just saving a full restoration for later," Tune speculated. "In that case, their grand reopening is probably the reinitialization of all internal facilities".

"Would make sense. They said we had to be by the arena," Amore pointed out.

"I remember that. Fun things happened when we were there last time," Techna said eagerly while adjusting the cap full of fishing hooks she was wearing.

"I thought you said what happened was that Bloom made an ass out of herself in front of three schools," Piff said.

"As I said, fun times. At least in hindsight," Techna added. "And it's not like Bloom's the only one who's done that. Shame you weren't there, Pumpkin".

"Well, I was kinda busy being a pumpkin," the pale ex-witch said, not at all minding the fact that she had earned her nickname by involuntarily changing taxonomic kingdom for a few months.

"How about we drop that particular subject," Bloom interjected.

"Hello there, girls," Avalon said as he walked up to them. "If DuFour asks, tell her that I'm off to make a phone call. Not to step on anyone's toes, but this procession of students is making quite a racket".

"Will do, professor," most of the girls said as the paladin hurried off.

As they entered through the gates of the battered castle, they saw not only Red Fountain students, but also Cloud Tower students spread all over the interior courtyard.

One of the visiting witches was Lucy, who immediately lit up at the sight of the girls and walked up to them with a: "Hey, Mirta. Hey, Flora. Hey, everyone else".

"Lucy," Mirta squealed happily and gave the gangly witch a hug. "Good to see you again".

"I've missed you too," Lucy said as she ruffled the redhead's hair. "So, how's Alfea been?"

"Kinda fun. We had this survival trip out into the wilds," Mirta explained.

"Yeah. And Suntop here broke my wilderness bush-cutter," Techna said, indicating the person in question with her thumb.

"That thing was eating my hair," Stella huffed. "It was pure evil and had to be destroyed".

"Maybe you could try tying that spaghetti of yours up in a knot once in a while," Techna suggested. "Would do you some goods when out in the wilds".

"As princess, she has the right, nay, the obligation to look her best at all times, preferably without it resulting in some renegade knick-knack slaughtering her hairdo," Aisha said strictly.

"...right," Techna slowly added. "Because that always goes so well. And hey, at least the two of you can be missing shoe buddies now".

"That was your fault and you know it," Aisha said annoyed.

"Right. But you must admit, it did manage to distract the bugblatter beast," Techna insisted.

"Not to mention it took you five seconds to replace it once we got home," Musa added. "So it's not like it was a great loss".

"That is not the point," Aisha insisted.

"There's a point to this conversation?" Lucy asked surprised. "Well, give me a hay-skirt and call me a broomstick. I would never have figured that any of you actually had a point somewhere".

"I think the point was talking about what happened at Alfea," Mirta quietly suggested. "Not that I think any of your tales are irrelevant or anything".

"Hey, girls. What are you all yapping about?" Riven asked as he and the boys from Red Fountain made their way through the crowd.

"The verbal equivalent of vacation pictures," Bloom replied.

"Riveting," Riven said flatly.

Brandon gave Stella a quick kiss, before asking: "So, ready for the big show?"

"Like, totally," Stella replied enthusiastically. "And I tots hope to see you in the show today".

"I might be signed up for something," Brandon said cryptically.

A bunch of catcalls suddenly rang out, followed by a: "Hey, nice ass, blondie".

Stella turned, counted and then said to the squire: "Twelve".

"That's a lot already," Brandon said somewhat impressed. "Fifteen by the way".

"Oh, just you wait," the blonde princess replied while wagging her finger.

"Alright, what are you two on about?" Tune inquired.

"Just counting how many complimented we have received today," Brandon replied. "Seeing how many catcalls and what have you we can get today".

"Surprisingly, Stella isn't the winner by default," Riven said.

"Why is that surprising? I mean, the man's got quite the beefcake under that tight uniform," Amore said excitedly. "Not to mention his pretty eyes and soft looking hair. Plus he's smart and nice to talk with. And I imagine that somewhere under that uniform, he's got quite the amazing..."

"Stop, stop. I do not want to think about Brandon like that," Riven interrupted. "Not if I also have to sleep tonight".

"Twenty," Brandon counted.

"Stop helping him," Stella said to Amore in an annoyed tone.

"Hey, just a quick question. Is there time for me to go find a toilet?" Bloom asked.

"Sure, you got about twenty minutes before the big reveal," Sky replied. "Just hurry up. It would be a shame if you missed it".

"Alright, I'll hurry," the redhead said as she charged off.

...

"Welcome to the arena," Brandon declared as they entered the spectators' section.

"Well, at least this place looks like it's been dusted off," Stella commented.

"On that note, have you fixed the support pillars?" Musa asked. "I seem to remember Bloom blowing a couple of those to pieces last time we were here".

"Sound like things got pretty wild," Mirta noted.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Techna said with a grin.

"We managed to fix the damage she caused," Timmy added reassuringly.

"Yeah. Just in time for that army of creeps to wreck it all over again," Riven added.

"True, the arena did collapse in on itself, but that has also been fixed," Timmy quickly added.

Flora noted that Mirta began eyeing the arena's floor with a degree of suspicion while also tightening her grip on the brunette's hand.

"Hey, one of your classmates is already here," Piff said.

The boys looked to where she was pointing. A boy in civilian clothes consisting of khaki coloured pants and a green sweater sat in one of the chairs, slowly painting something. He had long and flowing black hair that obscured the sharp angles of his face.

"Classmate? Nah, that's Helia," Riven said. "He just lives here".

"But you also live here," Flora pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but Helia isn't enrolled," Timmy pointed out. "I mean, I think he was once, but then he dropped out".

"He's a pacifist. So you can probably understand why a military career doesn't interest him," Brandon explained.

"Then why is he here?" Mirta asked.

"Well, because this is his home. Also because despite being a pacifist, he was actually a pretty good soldier, at least from a technical standpoint. You should try asking Cordatorta about him," Sky said. "So Saladin, who happens to be his grandfather, keeps him around and tries to convince him to join up and make his parents proud and such. It gets quite ridiculous".

"How ridiculous?" Techna asked.

"Hiding in closets ridiculous," Riven said dryly. "Anyway, I think it's about time you go find your seats. Saladin and the rest of the staff will be here soon and they will be expecting us to be ready for the presentation".

The girls headed for the seats while the boys hurried off to prepare for the grand reopening ceremony.

...

Bloom hurried down the Red Fountain hallway, feeling the building pressure in her bladder. She rounded a corner and noted that a girl with blonde hair and glasses was standing there, seemingly studying a map of Red Fountain. "Hello there," Bloom said to the girl, who sharply turned to see who was there. "Does that thing show where the toilet is?"

The girl stared for a moment, before shaking her head and saying: "Oh, sure. Down the hall, turn left and then keep an eye on the right wall. Just remember that the toilets are unisex here".

"Thanks," Bloom said and hurried on to the toilet in question. It was only after finally relieving herself that she briefly pondered, while making her way to the arena, why the girl had been running around the castle with a map.

...

Excitement was thick in the air, as the seats were filled with people from the three schools. In the middle of the arena, the staff of Red Fountain, from the warlock Menefer Saladin to the close combat teacher Knut, had gathered.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Saladin started, his magically amplified voice quickly causing silence amongst the spectators. "Today is a very special day. The great fortress of Red Fountain had stood the test of time for centuries. But last year it was truly tested for the first time in decades. It has become increasingly clear that Red Fountain simply isn't capable of serving as a proper defence. Therefore, before we even did as much as replace a single stone, we discussed what could be done to bring Red Fountain into the modern age of defence. There may yet come the day when Red Fountain must again serve as a bastion and we will prepare for that day. Therefore, I give you all a warm welcome to the new Red Fountain".

Suddenly, the castle began rumbling. Nervous murmurs broke out amongst the audience.

"Are... Are the support pillars going to hold?" Mirta asked.

"Relax, I bet Saladin's just being dramatic," Lucy added.

In the distance, the sound of cracking earth could be heard.

"Are you sure?" Mirta asked.

"Well, do note that Saladin himself looks calm about it," Flora pointed out. "In fact, all of the assembled teachers are calm. The shaking is expected".

There was a sudden lurch, as the whole castle seemed to move.

"Wait... Are we...? We are," Techna said with a wide grin. "That's fucking insane. The castle is actually ascending".

"So that's why my stomach is doing acrobatics," Bloom added, looking a tinge green.

The rumbling ceased as the castle continued to ascend into the sky.

"Alright. Let's turn the cameras on," Saladin said as gigantic screens around the arena lit up.

On the screens, a massive structure could be seen. On top of it rested Red Fountain and much of the surrounding area, all of it kept safely in place by a massive metallic wall. The rest of the structure was somewhat conical and made of metal, with windows, hangar doors and many perpetually glowing engines keeping the structure afloat.

"This is the new Red Fountain," Saladin elaborated. "The old structure still has many useful facilities, such as this arena, plus its historic value. However, the newly constructed part of the school has been designed with the ability to move and has been built from materials far more solid that the thick brick walls of old. Not only that, but the newest in auto-defences and protective enchantments have been installed, which will ensure the safety of our students in any hypothetical future combat scenario. Its capacity for movement also makes it a flying bunker, excellent for mass evacuations. Add that to the difficulty of reaching it, since the only way in is to fly or use the transportation beam to be gated up, and I dare say that this castle might be the finest example of modern day defensive fortifications". He paused dramatically, before continuing with: "Now, before the exhibitions start, I will allow you all a break to explore this new facility and see what it has to offer. The newest in simulator technology and training equipment has been installed and may be utilized with permission from staff. And while I remember it, there's free drinks and dinner in the cafeteria".

...

"One has to wonder how they even got this idea," Amore pondered. After the presentation, most of the girls had headed for the cafeteria, but Techna had decided to go to the grounds surrounding the old part of Red Fountain and relax for a bit.

"Dunno," the scarred girl said. "But it's awesome. Maybe we should get some dark army to invade Alfea so we can also get a flying school".

"I thought the army did invade Alfea," Tune flatly added.

"Oh, right," Techna said in realization. "Man, now I feel gypped. Our school is still just an ordinary stationary non-flying building".

"Just like Cloud Tower," the grey-haired pixie said, trying to add some perspective.

"Yeah, but at least Cloud Tower looks freaky cool," Techna argued.

"Right, of course it does," Amore sighed. "Well, let's change the subject. How are things between you and Timmy? I don't think I've seen you two doing much together".

"He's busy," Techna replied. "Red Fountain eats up a lot of his time. And I'm not the type of gal that demands that he focuses his life on me just because of us coupling".

"That may be the case," Amore said as she fluttered around. "But you must be doing something together".

"Chatting over the net, mostly," Techna replied. "A good enough substitute for meeting up. Oh, and he's collaborated with his family on a new VR program. Says that we'll be able to date in a virtual world when he hasn't got a lot of time".

"Seems like a poor substitute for actual interaction," Tune said.

Techna rolled her eyes and said: "You know, just because it's not old school doesn't mean it's worth less. Also, don't knock it 'till you tried it. I get to be on a date that involves flying around Zenith with jetpacks. I wish my dates in real life could be that cool".

Not far from Techna, Musa and Aisha were walking through the grounds with drinks in hand.

"...and in those cases you usually go for one of the slower dances. Of course, there are some nations that prefer a much more exciting rhythm," Aisha explained. "It all really depends on the ones hosting the party, ball or get together as the case may be. Then there is of course the choice of partner, which is really important. If you are unsure who will make a proper match, sticking with family members is usually a safe bet".

"Gee, you royal types really put a lot of thought into stuff like that," Musa added unimpressed.

"You don't?" Aisha questioned.

"No, not really," the black-haired girl replied. "I just put something on with a proper beat and then I just dance. Nothing to it".

"Really. But then, what signals are you sending?" Aisha asked. "If you just throw yourself into it carelessly, you might be creating the completely wrong message, giving people an erroneous picture of you".

Musa sighed deeply, the kind of sigh you make when you're asking several deities to provide you with strength of spirit. A tinge frustrated, she replied: "It isn't always about the message or the signal or the frickin' politics of it all .Sometimes, it's just about having some fun. I imagine even you royals are acquainted with that word".

"Of course, but fun has a time and place," Aisha added in a strict tone.

"And that isn't at the party? Give me a break, that's the..." Musa began, before she suddenly froze.

"You okay?" Aisha asked.

Musa suddenly turned and stared at a girl who had walked past them. She had blonde hair and glasses, and suddenly noticed that Musa was starring.

The black-haired girl glared, before raising her foot and stomping the ground. "Why are you wearing an illusion?" Musa asked suspiciously.

The girl immediately broke into a run and Musa began her pursuit. They weaved between other students, the black-haired girl losing her drink in the process. Musa rounded a tree, saw a flash of blonde hair, broke into a sprint, charged inside the school, rounded a corner and crashed straight into Techna, knocking the magenta-haired girl to the floor.

"I didn't think you would take the whole accidental head-bashing thing to heart, Cacophony," the scarred girl said jovially while rubbing her nose.

"Sorry 'bout that," Musa said and helped her companion up.

"Is your nose alright?" Tune asked concerned.

"Been worse. At least it's pointing the right direction," Techna added. "So, what's the hurry?"

"Yeah, what was up with that?" Aisha asked as she caught up with them.

"Because of my knack, I can feel sound waves. And that girl was wearing an illusion. Her body wasn't anything like what she looked like," Musa stated. "I found it suspicious and then she just bolted. By the way, did you see where she went?"

"Well, I did see a busy looking blonde, but no, was kinda busy getting acquainted with the floor, so I didn't see where she went," Techna replied.

"Why chase her down anyway?" Aisha asked. "So yeah, she was using an illusion to cover herself. People do that all the time".

"But this wasn't just some pimple removing talisman," the black-haired girl said. "Her entire body was different".

"Some people do that," Techna said with a shrug. "They use it like extreme make-up. Like longer legs, bigger beard, larger boobs or a package worthy of a behemoth. It's not that uncommon at all".

"I just found it suspicious. Especially the way she just ran," Musa said. "But I suppose she could just be embarrassed".

"Right. Let's not get paranoid all of a sudden," Techna said, patting Musa on the back. "Say, how about we grab some grub before the next show, hmm?"

...

In the dark depths of Shadowhaunt, Darkar sat on his throne. In the quietness of his domain, he was busy plotting, scheming, planning and all the other things he was quite convinced he was supposed to do in his downtime between implementing various nefarious operations. He did occasionally take a break to do something else, like eat, sleep or watch TV, but at all other times, he was busy planning his next masterstroke, even if it currently involved mulling over the same plan for the umpteenth time without really adding anything new to it.

He was in the middle of going through the steps of the operation once again, while doing his best to look sinister despite the lack of audience, when the phone his minions had convinced him to acquire went off. It was currently resting on a small table a bit away from the lord of Shadowhaunt.

"MOOKS! BRING ME MY TELEPHONE!" he bellowed. Immediately, two of the big-mouthed forsaken jumped out of the shadows and carried it over to their master. "It's good to be the boss," the Shadow Phoenix sighed happily to himself as he picked up the phone. "Hello, you are speaking with the lord of Shadowhaunt, the master of darkness, wielder of the... What do you mean that you already know who I am? That's not the point. The dramatic intro is part of the image. No, no, the moment is gone. So, what can I do for you? They're getting suspicious? A distraction?" Darkar rubbed his wrinkly chin. "I suppose I could... Hmm. Now I got an idea. I will summon to me my mighty pet Kerborg, the Lord of Extinct Beasts. My ultimate creation, forged from the material of several extinct species, harvested from across dimensions, whom I can transform into... What do you mean that I should stop expositing? That happens to be one of this jobs many perks. You know, the dramatic speeches and explanations. No, I can't just get someone else to listen to it. Icy and Stormy went out to get us a new television. Said my old one was so outdated they were surprised it wasn't hand-cranked. Therefore, you're going to listen. As I said, I can grant Kerborg the shape and powers of any being that has been added to him. What do you mean why limit myself to extinct species? That's Kerborg's gimmick. If I could just transform him into anything, he would lose his uniqueness. Sure, it makes perfect sense. Do you know how many generic shapeshifter there are? A lot, let me tell you, so it's not particularly impressive. For example, I'm a generic shapeshifter. Plus, Kerborg is dumb. Like, a sack of bricks dumb. So no infiltrating high society parties. Might as well have him change into animals nobody has any idea how to fight. What? I could just have said that? Well, I just think making sure my pet has a unique identity was the most important reason. Now, do you want his assistance or not? Great, I'll get it done". He turned off the phone and yelled: "KERBORG! COME TO YOUR MASTER!"

In through an open window flew one of the forsaken. It was small and unassuming, roughly the size of a crow. It had wings, but only in the loosest sense, the appendages being sets of long finger like growths that shouldn't have been able to keep it in the air. Like all of Darkar's creations, it was made of grey flesh with a foul odour.

"Now, what form should you take?" Darkar speculated as his pet rested on his arm. "MOOKS, BRING ME MY EXTINCT BEASTS CARDS".

Hurrying to please their dark lord, the forsaken hurried in with a deck of cards.

"Most excellent," Darkar said as he shuffled the cards, causing Kerborg to take off and flutter around. Finally, the Shadow Phoenix picked a card. "Now this is going to be interesting," he said with amusement in his voice. "Kerborg. Here's the form you will assume". Dark flames danced across his arms and leapt from his hands, engulfing the creature.

The strange pet landed on the floor and began to glow, began to grow and began to change. Its form became humongous as it transformed into a gruesome, long extinct monster.

"Now go to Red Fountain and wreak havoc. Wreak all the havoc," Darkar ordered, as his transformed pet roared and soared through the air, taking a good chunk of the wall with as it made its way through the window. "Right," Darkar continued quietly as he observed the newly created hole in the wall. "Should probably have gone outside before doing that. Oh, well. MOOKS. READY THE BRICKS!"

...

At Red Fountain, people assembled in the seats, as they got ready for the next event.

"Welcome back. I do hope you've enjoyed the break," Saladin announced. "We will start with a series of exhibition fights, chosen at random from this bag. Cordatorta, would you do the honour of the draw?"

"It shall be done, sir," the beefy man said with a salute. A drum-roll was played as Belisma dragged the bag over to the dragonmaster.

"So all this fancy tech and they're just going to draw from a bag?" Stella asked.

"Well, I guess they had to save money somewhere," Bloom added with a shrug.

Cordatorta withdrew a piece of paper from the bag with much gusto and probably a bit of unnecessary movement. "RIVEN TURNBULL AND SKY HERAKLES!" he yelled.

Excited cheering broke out.

"So they had already chosen who would fight who?" Stella stated.

"Well, duh. Otherwise you risk a rookie going up against a veteran," Musa added. "Plus, this way they make sure the fight is interesting".

In the arena, the two boys marched out from opposite side, taking position not far from each other.

"So, would your majesty like a few minutes to confer with your million nummi trainers?" Riven asked. "I mean, not that it's going to help you win, but maybe they will be able to give you a few pointers on how to land softly once I knock you into the ground".

"Riven, in case you didn't notice, this is a duel of arms, not flapping gums," Sky shot back. "Besides, you may still be a better aircyclist than me, but we both got our feet planted on the ground now".

"And soon, you will be made to kiss it," Riven taunted.

"What, you really think your ballerina dancing is going to beat me?" Sky asked.

"Hey, at least I got moves," Riven retorted with a shrug. "Much better than your strategy of holding up a block of metal and hoping your enemy is going to break against it. You're passive, I'm active. And active beats passive every time".

"Really?" Sky asked. "Then I hope you're ready to move your feet, because I got a sword that's ready to actively get up and personal with you".

"IF YOU TWO DON'T STOP COMPARING THE SIZE OF YOUR BALLS AND START FIGHTING, I WILL LET THE DRAGONS LOOSE IN THE ARENA!" Cordatorta roared at the two soldiers, causing them both to jump.

"Boys," Bloom sighed.

Flora poked her shoulder and pointed down the line.

"Well, my kingdom has connections all around Tides," Aisha said.

"Right. But Solaria has contacts on other worlds," Stella shot back.

Flora stopped pointing and just waited for the redhead's reply.

Bloom stared for a moment, before sheepishly admitting: "Alright, so maybe that sort of thing is a tad bit more universal".

Down in the arena, Sky and Riven had started their fight, easily showing just how different their styles were. Riven was constantly on the move, using his whole body to add extra power to the swings of his sabre. Sky, on the other hand, stood almost completely still, stabilising himself to give his shield as much stopping power as possible, before lashing out with his sword in a counter attack. It was a clash of opposites that dragged on without a clear winner, with an enraptured audience looking on.

"Who do you think is going to win?" Bloom asked the others.

"Well, Riven's certainly not getting any hits in. Then again, neither is Sky," Techna pondered. "But Sky is using less energy".

"Right, but with Riven's training and ability to slowly heal himself that might be a non-issue," Flora pointed out. "They might actually be matched".

"So who will win?" Amore asked.

"Whomever makes the first big mistake," Musa said.

The blades continued dancing in the arena below, as the sweat-drenched soldiers fought on, their attention focused on each other. Riven kept trying to dance around Sky's defence, while he in turn tried to catch Riven in the middle of a jump or a leap. Both waited for the moment their opponent would slip up. Riven started feeling the effects of his rapid movement, his joints beginning to ache, while Sky could feel his shield slowly getting heavier and heavier. Yet still they pressed on, ready to fight. All eyes were on them.

Which is why they were quite surprised when the sun was suddenly blocked out by a roaring cloud.

"What the...?" Sky said as he looked up, his duel forgotten.

With a resounding crash, something the size of an elephant landed in the arena. Large draconic wings unfurled, revealing a head framed by a massive crimson mane, with a great mouth and green eyes which stared at the two soldiers. It had a body roughly like a gorilla, bulging with massive muscles. Both of its long arms ended in blind, serpentine heads whose maws were constantly snapping. It stood on big, muscular legs, its tail swaying behind it with a fourth mouth on the end. It observed the two duellists for a moment, before it roared in anticipation of its next meal.

"Well," Sky said dryly as the massive beast charged the two. "Bollocks".

The beast roared as one of its arms lashed out, the maw biting deep into the dirt as Sky and Riven dodged out of the way.

As for the audience, people hurried out of their seats, eager to get away from the arena.

"Belisma, gather the sharpshooters. I want that thing brought down, stat. Knut and Xanti, get those civvies out of here," Saladin ordered. "Cordatorta, I want you to..." He stopped as a voice started talking in his earpiece. "WHAT!" he exclaimed. "Damn it. Belisma, you have the command here. Someone just broke into the school and is heading for the vault. Cordatorta, follow me. We need to cut whomever it is off".

"Okie dokie," Belisma replied, before turning on her radio. "All team members, gear up and move to the arena. Report to me when you're ready to assist". Then she took off her glasses, raised the rifle she had brought along and started aiming.

Meanwhile, Bloom had to jump up on her seat to avoid getting trampled by the fleeing people. "What should we do?" she asked her friends.

"Shouldn't we get out of here with the others?" Mirta asked. "I can see DuFour over there. She probably knows where the exit is".

Bloom cast a glance into the arena, where Sky and Riven were still evading the blows from the massive monster. Several other students, including Brandon and Timmy, had entered the arena and were engaging the beast with ranged weaponry. Around the spectator seats, some of the fairies and witches had started to fling spells after the creature. So far, most of it seemed to glance of the creature's thick skin.

"We help them," Bloom said with determination in her voice.

"Mirta, you are ill suited for this kind of scenario. I will not force you away, but I would feel a lot better knowing that you are somewhere else," Flora said.

Mirta stared at the brunette for a moment, before giving her a quick kiss and saying: "Be careful, okay?"

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her," Lucy said empathetically to Flora. And then they were off.

"You better get going too," Musa advised the pixies, who immediately fluttered away from the arena.

"Right. I'll grab something from the armoury," Techna said and ran off. "Save some monster for me, okay".

Stella jumped down a couple of empty seats, before transforming her ring and letting a searing beam loose from her staff. The beast hardly seemed to notice. It spun around, its massive tail knocking several Red Fountain soldiers around like bowling pins.

"Aisha, I will need your assistance," Flora said as she got to the edge of the seats.

"Yes?" the princess of Tides responded.

"Use you magic and this soda to transport these seeds to the beast. I cannot throw them that far," Flora said and handed the royal brunette a soda and a handful of seeds.

Spells and projectiles continually blasted against the beast to no great effect.

"Somebody get us some heavy weaponry. This thing has hide like a dragon," Belisma ordered. "Snipers, try going for its eyes. I doubt they're armoured".

The beast roared again, one of its arms lashing out. A soldier didn't manage to get out of the way and lost his arm with a sickening crunch.

A rocket blasted against the creature's side, leaving only a scorch mark.

"Good try," Brandon said to Timmy, as the latter cursed and reloaded.

Belisma looked up to see Nash Bittersmoke charge up to her. "You look like somebody who's got something to say," she noted.

"That... That thing..." the elder witch gasped out of breath. "It's a gregthroat. It's supposed to be extinct, since... Nevermind that. Tell you students to go for the throat".

"The throat?" Belisma asked.

"Yes... The throat," Nash hoarsely confirmed. "The skin is very thin there".

"Right, you heard the man. Try getting shots in at the throat," Belisma ordered. After a moment, she asked: "Wait, does that mean it's an endangered species?"

"All of us are endangered species at this point," Bittersmoke replied.

Bloom gritted her teeth. Nothing seemed to work. As she flung fireball after fireball, she felt a rush surge through her and with it came a certainty. A certainty that the beast had to die. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" she yelled as the flame within her surged. Her limbs were charged with power and with a roar, she let a fragment of it lose. The primordial flame soared through the air and exploded against the gregthroat's shoulder, causing the beast to roar in pain and surprise. A layer of its thick hide had been burnt off. Now suddenly paying attention to its attackers, the beast turned and stormed ahead, the soldiers beneath leaping to the sides to not be trampled underfoot. With a flap of its great wings, it leapt into the air.

"SCATTER!" Musa yelled as the girls ran in different directions, as the beast crashed into the audience seats, scattering pieces of chairs all over the place. It turned and watched the girls run away from it. It wasn't sure who had hurt it and it really didn't care. It just knew it was one of those girls and that was enough for it. It roared and spat a lump of greenish goo.

Flora tried to leap across the seats, but the sticky substance exploded all over the area, more or less attaching her to a seat. She hurriedly opened her seed bag to find something to assist her, even as the gregthroat lumbered closer. It roared and swung one of its arms towards the brunette.

Flora looked up and realised that she would not be able to move out of the way. The snapping jaw soared closer.

Time seemed to freeze.

Fuchsia gel exploded over the maw and not only fused the jaws together, but also knocked it to the side, causing it to smash against the seats besides Flora, knocking the girl further down the arena in the process.

Techna, who was standing on top of the seats on the other side of the arena, whistled and said: "Nice shot".

"Thank you," Helia replied and readied another shot of morphix, as other people hurried to their position to assist in the assault.

The gregthroat roared as it tried to force its arm-jaw open. It flapped its wings, lifting itself off the seats. It turned to face the ones who had suddenly earned its ire. It eyed the group and began flying towards them, roaring all the while.

Down on the seats, Flora lightly groaned as she got up. Her arm was still glued to the remains of a seat, her head was pounding like crazy, she was certain she had gotten at least one fracture and she would be getting a pretty nasty bruise. All in all, could be worse. The brunette eyed the flying gregthroat and focused on the seeds Aisha had splashed it with. As the creature flew, vines grew across its flesh, unnoticed by the thick-skinned beast. The gregthroat roared, eager to tear apart the people who had glued one of its jaws together. However, its roaring was suddenly cut off as it was jerked awkwardly back in the air. The vines had extended from the creature and anchored it to the ground. Many of the vines snapped at the force the creature pulled them with, but the sudden stop had forced it into an awkward position that made it impossible for the heavy beast's wings to get a good grip on the air. It desperately flapped and tried to regain altitude, but gravity had taken hold and with yet another roar, it crashed to the ground. It landed on its wing, which snapped audible. The gregthroat roared and tried to get up, but a wad of morphix hit one of its limbs, attaching it to the ground.

"My turn," Techna yelled eagerly and fired, the shot gluing the tail to the ground. Shot after shot pelted the beast, arresting all movement.

"Alright, move in for the finishing blow," Belisma ordered.

The people in the arena stormed forward to end the incapacitated beast. The gregthroat eyed its opponents and seemed to realise the fight was lost. In that moment, it suddenly exploded into a cloud of dust.

"What... What the heck?" Techna asked. "It popped like a cheap balloon".

"How odd," Helia said as he put the weapon down.

Hidden by the smoke, nobody noticed Kerborg dart off into the skies, eager to return to its master.

...

"There's no one here," Saladin said. He and Cordatorta were in the innermost part of Red Fountain, escorted by several guards and the guardian pixie of Red Fountain. The room they were in looked like a lounge, decorated with tasteful furniture and a statue of justice in the form of a set of scales, which Saladin was intensely eyeing.

"But the sensors registered something trying to break in almost the exact moment that monster arrived," Cordatorta said. "It cannot be a coincidence".

"Hmm," came Saladin's voice as he started pondering. "We might have scared off whomever it was. They might have counted on us to stay and fight the beast".

"Maybe, sir," Cordatorta replied. "Or maybe the vault was not the target".

"I doubt it," Athena said as she surveyed the room. "There's something else to this".

"Maybe. But there's only one way we'll know," Saladin said. "Guards. Spread out and look for anything out of the ordinary".

"Yes, sir," they said and hurried off.

And in a dark corner of the room, a shadow quietly seeped away.

...

Outside on the grounds of Red Fountain, medical attention was swiftly being applied to everyone who had gotten hurt in the fight.

Mirta looked more or less completely attached to Flora, who was in the process of getting bandaged, as if afraid that her girlfriend would get hurt even more if she let go.

As Bloom, who had gotten away with just a few scrapes and bruises, looked up from patches on her arm, she noticed Avalon assisting with the healing.

He looked up, noticed the redhead and walked over to her with a: "I heard what you and your friends did. That was very brave and courageous of you".

"Thanks," Bloom replied. "Where were you?"

"I was returning from the toilets when a wave of fleeing people hit me," Avalon explained. "When I finally got out, the battle was over".

"Well, we managed without you. I just hope Faragonda won't be mad about this whole recklessness thing," Bloom said.

Avalon seemed to mull it over. "Tell you what," he began. "As far as I'm aware, you had no way to escape and was forced into the fight. I'm sure Faragonda will see that you made the best of a bad situation".

"Thanks," Bloom said in relief. "It just felt... Right. I could feel it within me that I had to fight, had to stop that thing".

"Hold on to that feeling," Avalon advised. "It'll do you good. Now, if you will excuse me, I shall return to assisting people".

Meanwhile, Helia sat under a tree, painting pictures on request of the wounded. He looked up to see Flora limp over to him with the assistance of Mirta.

"Hello," she greeted him. "I just wanted to say that I am most grateful for your assistance today".

"Don't mention it," Helia replied. "I just did the right thing. If you really want to praise me for something, I'd vastly prefer it being my art".

Flora observed him for a moment. "You really don't like fighting, do you?" she noted.

"No. I'm not one of those who believe that violence can't solve anything, but I'd vastly prefer being as little involved with it as possible," Helia said, before sighing: "Not that my grandfather approves".

"Still, preference or not, you did save me and I am most grateful for that," Flora said. "That being said, I would not mind one of your pictures".

"Alright. Name a subject," the artist replied, his mood immediately improved.

"What would you like?" Flora asked her girlfriend.

"How about a picture of the two of us?" Mirta suggested.

"A couple in love. Always a great subject," Helia said enthusiastically. "Just sit under that tree and I'll handle the rest".

...

In Shadowhaunt, Darcy walked into Darkar's private chamber, where the Shadow Phoenix sat while gleefully watching programs on his new television.

"The mission has been a success, master," the dirty-blonde said.

"Most excellent. Now we can plan the next step," Darkar said as he looked over his shoulder.

"May I ask you something?" Darcy said.

"You just did. But yes, ask away," Darkar allowed.

"Right. Why this operation? Why not just break into the vault while I was there?" Darcy questioned.

"Because I never expected such a mission to succeed," Darkar said. "It's too early. With not only the Red Fountain staff, but also our..." He paused for a moment, dark flames gathering in his hand into the shapes of Bloom, Stella and Aisha. "Intrepid little heroines there, it was obvious the assault would fail," the Shadow Phoenix continued. "No, at this stage, the ball is in their court. That is how it goes. It always starts out easy for the heroes".

"I'm not sure I agree with that logic," Darcy admitted. "I mean, the whole expecting to lose is not my usual style".

"And that's why I'm the main villain," Darkar declared as he rose from his chair and turned towards Darcy. "You still have so much to learn, my little quirky minion. As I told you before..." His withered face split into a toothy grin. "There's so much you can win by losing".


	9. On Wings of Destruction

Chapter 9: On Wings of Destruction

A blinding light exploded and Bloom found herself forced to cover her eyes. As she stood there, protecting her sensitive eyes from the sudden illumination, she suddenly realised that she had no idea where she was or how she had gotten there. As far as she could remember, the last thing she did was going to bed.

"Little sister. It is good to see you again," came a soothing voice.

"Daphne," Bloom realised joyfully and lowered her hands. She looked around, noticing she was standing, or rather floating, in the middle of a vast dark nothing. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

"Indeed," her undead sister confirmed, her radiant form gliding through the dark. "Less taxing on your sleeping mind to only have the two of us".

"Makes sense, I guess," Bloom said, studying her hands. They were very lifelike. Usually, stuff in her dreams was very vague looking. "Hey, how come I can hear you so clearly? Last time you walked into my head while I was sleeping, I only got one fourth of the message and almost set my bed on fire".

"Yes. Those were... Less than favourable events," Daphne said, looking a bit embarrassed at the memory. "But I bring good news in that regard. Our meeting in Domino Castle and by Lake Roccaluce have strengthened our connection, which in return has made contacting you much easier. And I'm sorry I haven't done so sooner. Time easily slips by when I sleep".

"I hear you. I'd be wasting half my life sleeping if I didn't have an alarm clock," Bloom said, rubbing her neck. The feeling was kinda fuzzy, not quite how things felt in real life, but close enough.

"So, now that I am here, how has life been treating you, Bloom?" the ghost questioned.

"Well, now that I'm going to be queen, I have started what Avalon calls royal studies," Bloom started. "So I can catch up on all those titbits and stuff that are so important for us royals to know".

"Do not fret if you have trouble with it," Daphne advised. "It is difficult to remember such a myriad of complicated rules".

"Yeah. Faragonda has also officially become my guardian until I'm recognised as an adult by the societies," Bloom continued. "I wish my parents could count, but they are back on Earth". Bloom thought for a moment. "Hey, what was my... That is, our parents like?"

Daphne looked pensive for a couple of moments. "They were good people who wanted the best for us," the spectre finally stated. "I can show you one of my memories, if you want me to".

"Really? I'd love to," Bloom said.

"Alright. But not too much," Daphne said as she lifted her hands. "The point of sleeping is resting, not having your head turned into a theatre".

The darkness around them was torn apart and Bloom suddenly found herself walking down a hallway. That is, Bloom was not in control, she was simply walking down the warm hallway without any choice.

"Do not be afraid, little sister," she heard Daphne's voice say. "You are experiencing my memories from the only viewpoint I have. My own".

Through windows in the walls, Bloom could see snow falling from the skies, a winter wonderland stretching out towards the horizon.

"Domino," Bloom realised.

"Yes. At its prime," Daphne said. "It was a beautiful place. Cold and rugged, but with an undeniable charm. I miss it so. Its frozen husk is but a grim mockery of its lost glory days".

"Don't worry. I'll do what I can to fix our kingdom;" Bloom promised.

"Oh, little sister," Daphne sighed, somewhere in-between joy and sadness. "Many great magi have tried to do so and, quite obviously, all have failed so far. But I applaud you for desiring to restore our ancient realm".

Bloom, locked inside Daphne's body, continued her path down the hall and stopped by the door. She could hear voices from inside the room. One, the warm but firm voice of a man, said: "She's got your fiery hair".

"And your mother's lovely eyes," cooed a female voice.

Bloom, or rather Daphne with Bloom inside her, peeked into the room. It was a nicely decorated room, warm and comfortable, with a crib in one corner. Around it stood two people, whom Bloom immediately recognised from the picture she had seen in the abandoned castle of Domino. The woman with the fiery hair and the brown-haired man. The memory froze and Daphne's crystal clear voice said: "Our parents. Your birth parents, Queen Mariel Kadmos and King Oritel Kadmos. They were so happy to have you, Bloom. It is a shame you should grow up without knowing them". The memory faded and Bloom was returned to the darkness.

"Wait," Bloom said. "There's still one more missing. The man from the picture".

"Ah, so you noticed. Yes, that would be the prince," Daphne said slowly, her face falling into a melancholic expression. "He fell not long after I died, shortly before the Ancestral Witches' attack on our realm. Our parents were lost not long after. It's a... Horrible story".

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." Bloom began apologetically.

"It's okay, little sis. You have the right to be curious about our history," Daphne said comfortingly. "Some wounds are just... Very fresh for me. My long periods of sleep leave me little time to work out the... Issues that have cropped up after the dark fate of our family. But I hope that I can tell you everything in time. I just ask that you give me the time to do so".

"I understand," Bloom said.

"I figured you would be forgiving on this subject," Daphne said happily, as she faded into view again. She cocked her head, as if straining to hear something. "It would seem that there is quite the ruckus in your vicinity. I advise you to investigate it. We'll talk again later, little sis".

"See you later, Daphne," Bloom said and waved, as everything blurred. The royal redhead opened her eyes and found herself in her bed in Alfea. Outside the window, the sky was grey and drops of rain pelted the windows.

Not far away, probably in the common room, she could hear insistent knocking and the even more insistent voice of Griselda saying: "Open this door now. This is a serious matter".

Bloom hurried out of her bed and walked, clad only in her pyjamas, out into the common room in order to investigate the sudden commotion. "Everything okay, Miss Griselda?"

"Hopefully, but I doubt it," the deputy headmistress said, tapping her foot against the floor. She knocked again, and the door was opened by a very tired looking Musa who was clad in everyday clothes, though most of it put on wrong, indicating that she had dressed herself in a hurry.

"Was issit?" she groggily questioned.

"Large amounts of smoke appears to be billowing from your clustermate's window, which I find due reason for concern," Griselda said and made her way in, were after she started knocking insistently on Techna's door. "Miss Clearwater, open up immediately".

Seconds later, a google wearing and slightly confused Techna opened the door. "What, is it already time for room inspection? 'Cause I haven't cleaned mine yet". From her room, strange chucking, bubbling and gurgling could be heard.

"No. I am however concerned by the massive amount of smoke that seems to be coming from your room," Griselda said impatiently. "What exactly is going on?"

"Smoke? There's no smoke," Techna said surprised. After a moment, she added: "But it could be the steam. I mean, that could look like smoke, right?"

"Alright, then why is there so much steam coming from your room?" Griselda sighed frustratedly, rubbing her forehead.

"I'm glad you asked. I just finished my new cooling system," Techna said excitedly and moved back into her den, with Griselda, Musa and Bloom following. As they entered the cluttered and junk filled room, Griselda's face stiffened, Musa gasped and took a step back, while Bloom just stared and asked: "Techna. What is that?"

The scarred girl's computer had tripled in size and was rumbling and shaking like it was attempting to blend rocks. From its sides, shaking and vibrating pipes stretched into the wall, which Techna had apparently knocked a couple of holes in. Another pipe lead to the open window, from which steam constantly poured.

"See, as I increased my computer's power, memory and so on, I had more and more trouble keeping it cool," Techna explained. "So I rerouted water from the school through it and then pumped the resulting steam out of the window, were it won't harm anyone".

"Alright, where to begin," Griselda started while pinching the bridge of her nose. "First of, what gave you the idea that you could knock holes in the walls and use the school's water supply for this?"

"Well, the scholarship program promises to cover for water and such," Techna said with a shrug.

"I'm pretty sure this completely mangles the spirit of the rule, but I'll have to discuss that with the headmistress," Griselda conceded. "Secondly, are you sure this is safe?"

"I am completely certain," Techna said. Suddenly, the explosive sound of shattering porcelain and tearing metal could be heard from the bathroom. "Almost completely certain," Techna continued without missing a beat.  
>"What now?" Griselda groaned and hurried to the bathroom. Inside, the toilet, shower head and sink had exploded, massive amount of steam and water flowing from the pipes into the room.<p>

"Okay, maybe it's pumping a little bit of steam back into the water pipes," Techna slowly theorised, rubbing her neck.

Another series of explosions rang out, followed by Stella shrieking: "DEAR SOLARIS, IT'S EVERYWHERE!"

"A lot of steam?" Techna suggested a bit embarrassed. "Maybe even into the sewer pipes and such?" Another series of explosions and shrieks rang out, as several unsuspecting porcelain appliances were blown to kingdom come. As Techna noted the look Griselda was now sporting, she continued with: "I'll go turn the computer off now".

"Sounds like a brilliant idea, Miss Clearwater;" Griselda added, her voice filled with the promise of disciplinary action.

...

Later that morning in the dining hall, the girls sat at a table. Stella and Aisha were both staring at Techna as if the girl herself was a bomb that might go off at any second, while the scarred girl was reading a copy of the school's rules. "Huh," she stated. "It really does say that students are not allowed to do major reconstruction of any part of Alfea without explicit permission".

"How often does a rule like that need to be enforced," Musa pondered and took a sip of water.

"Enough for there to be a rule, not enough for it to be common knowledge," Flora said. "At least Faragonda took it reasonably well. Then again, the damage is somewhat easy to fix".

"Right. Though I doubt anything short of, like, major cleansing magic will get the smell away," Stella muttered. "So, what's your next great project?"

"Probably a better way to direct steam," Techna said while looking speculative. "The water based cooling system idea is sound enough on paper. I just need ensure that every toilet in the building doesn't turn into a frag grenade every time I turn on my comp".

"That would totally be an improvement," the Solarian princess added with a hint of venom. She suddenly lightened up and said: "Hey Bloom".

"Hey," the redhead muttered in response.

"Something wrong?" the blonde asked concerned.

"I think something has gone horribly wrong with the breakfast," Bloom stated and stared at the plate she put down. A couple dry biscuits lay on the piece of dinnerware.  
>"SeFogelia is down with something magic-resistant," Musa explained. "So the staff whipped out some nutri-crackers".<p>

"Nutri-crackers?" Bloom questioned, eyeing her breakfast with suspicion.

"They are filled with all the essential nutrients, vitamins and such," Flora explained. "Very popular on Limphea for their value as field rations".

Carefully, the redhead took an experimental bite. She stuck out her tongue, proclaiming: "They taste like sawdust".

"Yep. They compete with roos for the title of blandest taste possible," Techna commented.

"Nutri-crackers and roos are both very healthy options when it comes to choice of dinner," Flora said defensively.

"What would happen if you put slices of roo on a nutri-cracker?" Musa speculated.

"Some sort of blandness singularity no doubt," Bloom said and tried to wash it down with water. "Bleh. That just made it worse. It's sticking to my tongue".

"You are acting like children," Flora sighed, before taking a bite of her own nutri-crackers.

"Anyway, how harsh was your punishment?" Bloom asked, pushing her dish away from herself.

"Eh, not bad, actually," Techna said. "Have to help Palladium with something on the grounds. Most likely some weeding".

"Well, now you can add 'almost killed people with a crazy invention' to the list of things you've done," Musa added with a teasing smirk.

"I know you're making fun of me," Techna countered with a smile. "But to be honest, it ain't the first time".

"You're kidding me," Musa said slightly shocked.

"Nope. Once almost killed a friend of mine. Involved a home-made toaster, a re-purposed vacuum-cleaner and a bag of frozen peas," Techna said.

"What happened?" Stella asked.

"It's a sordid tale," the scarred girl replied. "Hey, aren't you going to finish you food, Bloom?"

"What, those biscuit things? No, starving until noon seems preferable," the redhead said. The comment caused Flora to sigh and shake her head.

"No, I meant that juicy fruit," Techna continued, pointing at a deep crimson apple-esque thing that had appeared on Bloom's tray.

"I don't remember bringing that," the redhead said suspiciously.

"I don't remember you bringing it, either," Aisha said. "In fact, it wasn't there last I checked".

Carefully, Bloom extended a hand and tried to poke the sudden fruit. Her finger passed right through. And then the thing suddenly multiplied. The redhead withdrew her hand in shock, as the fruit continued doubling until an entire pile filled the dish and surrounding tray. "What the..."

"He he, got ye, lassie," Wizgiz said as he walked up to them. "I was just testing me latest invention. An illusion projector". In his hands was what resembled a wooden video recorder, with crystals sticking out of the top.

"I didn't take you for the inventive type," Musa stated. "No offence".

"None taken, lassie," Wizgiz replied. "Truth be told, I'm not that handy with artificing. I sometimes get ideas however and DuFour is always happy to help me out. Right now, we're stress testing it. Ye have a good day now". Then he sauntered off, eagerly looking for more opportunities to test out the experimental artefact's applications.

The doors to the dinner hall opened and Avalon walked in, a bouquet of brightly coloured flowers in hand. He scouted the hall, before lifting his arms in the air, small golden bubbles manifesting around the flowers and carrying them through the air, one for each student and teacher. "I wish you all a great day," the paladin declared as the students stared at the unexpected gifts.

"Do you think he got a raise or something?" Techna quietly asked the others.

"He probably just wants to be nice to us," Bloom commented as she happily inspected her flower.

"Wow. Yer must be in a good mood," Wizgiz commented as he sniffed the flower that had flown over to him. "And they do smell very nice. Thanks for sharing".

"I'll admit, I had Palladium help me pick the right ones out," Avalon said as he headed for the teachers table. "Flowers aren't my speciality, to be honest, but I do like the occasional floral fragrance". As he passed by, he stopped by Bloom and said: "By the way, do you have time for more studies tonight?"

"Sure. I got nothing better to do," Bloom replied.  
>"Most excellent," the paladin said and continued towards his seat.<p>

"Ah right, those princessology studies," Techna said. "How are they going, by the way?"

"Well, I am progressing. I think," Bloom said. "It's just... A lot to wrap my mind around".

"Yeah, I can see how it would be kind of overwhelming," Stella said sympathetically.  
>"Bloom, do not worry. You are a royal by blood and as soon as you get started, you will find that it comes naturally to you," Aisha said supportively.<p>

Techna and Musa both rolled their eyes at the statement.

...

About half an hour later, Bloom found herself in Avalon's class. The middle-aged warrior of light patiently awaited the start of class.

As the clock shifted and the class officially began, Avalon immediately began the lecture with: "Now then, as has been revealed to you in earlier classes, magic is much more than what many people assume. In fact, there is a trend of people thinking that the rules of magic are set in stone, unchanging. But to imagine it to be so, is to forget the history of the worlds. What we call the rules or laws of magic could easily be but a fragment of the complete picture. To understand this, to really see how much things can change, I will give you a history lesson". He began pacing. "The earliest records of magic does not describe the techniques or formulas of the magic, rather, magic was described as forcing one's will on the world. This is an apt description, but as you all must be aware of by now, magic is much more than that. Most likely, the first type of magic was the spontaneous kind, were flaring emotions caused bursts of magic in one form or the other. These people knew not of knacks and spells and the like. All they knew was that some people could sometimes make things happen. Some saw it as a curse, some as a blessing, but most assumed it to be just that". He took a brief pause to adjust his clothes. "We now from later, much more complete records of the start of disciplinary magic. That is the type of magic paladins like me utilize. It requires great force of will and training, and focuses on creating very specific magical effects through repetitious training and patterns that become ingrained in your memory. Again, no knacks. These early paladins, monks and such were often quite convinced of the superiority of their magic, that this disciplined approach was better than the emotional bursts. Why, when the first fairies started appearing, they were looked down upon as unstable and flighty. But the first faeries learned of knacks and learned to harvest their emotions. An easier path than the one of discipline. And so, in the end there were simply more faeries and they proved the undeniable potential of their magical arts. Then there were of course the results of trying to utilize a combination of the two types of magic. Do you start to see a pattern, students?"

Several hands shot into the air.

"Camilla?" Avalon asked a pink-haired student.

"That every time everyone thinks they know how magic works, someone finds something new?" the girl suggested.

"Exactly. Much like everything else in the world, the quest to learn never ends," Avalon continued. "And just when everyone thought they had figured magic out, witches showed up. As people tried to codify the laws of magic, they found they had to make a dozen exceptions to every rule. Magic is a wondrous and well-known force, but it is still a mystery to a degree. I suppose what you should take from my lesson is that you should keep an open mind about magic. There may still be types of magic that have yet to be discovered and codified. But as for your time in Alfea, we will do our best to teach you all what is known".

In her seat, Techna began biting her lip, slowly mulling over an idea that had taken hold in her mind. A smile tugged at the edge of her mouth.

...

After Avalon's class ended, they moved on to Palladium's, which was being held in the banquet hall. The day's lesson would apparently require some space, but the rain continued to pelt the school, preventing the grounds from being used.  
>"Good to see you all," the once brunette now blonde elf greeted them. "Today, we will train in peripheral knacks. Ah, I see your questioning looks". He coughed lightly and continued. "Peripheral knacks are... Well, how to put this, closely related to your knacks. No, more accurately, they are things closely associated with your knack. You will find that much like you have an easy time operating within your knack, you will also have an easier time working with your peripheral knacks. Yes, Bloom?"<p>

"Well, I have fire as a knack," Bloom started. "Would my peripheral knacks be stuff like smoke or heat?"

"Those are very good examples," Palladium said. "And yes, you are correct. Many even use peripheral knacks without thinking much about it. But what we are going to work with is what is termed removed peripheral knacks. That is... Hmm, the best way to describe it would probably be that it means working with your peripheral knacks without your actual knack being present. Let's see... Well, let just go with the example Bloom just gave us. If she were to work with her removed peripheral knack, she would have to create, maintain and disperse heat without there being any fire involved. As another examples, it could be somebody with a knack for dirt having stone as a peripheral knack. Sometimes, it involves finding new applications for the knack. As might be increasingly obvious, this is a very fluid and hard to pin down subject. What this and following classes will do is help you experiment and figure out what you can easily work with. Techna, you have a question".

"So, my knack is tech and I primarily use it for making purely non-magical machines," the scarred girl began. "But could my knack translate into, for example, artificing?"

"An intriguing question," Palladium said. "Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you. Only experimentation will reveal the answer to you. But I will say it sounds plausible".

Techna rubbed her chin, a speculative smirk on her face, as she considered the elf's words very carefully. The inspiration that had hit her began to bloom into a full-blown idea.

"As if she needed a teacher's permission to experiment," Musa quietly commented from somewhere not far from her.

...

After classes had ended, Techna hurried to the library, where she stayed for a while, engrossed in various books on, among other things, artefacts and paladins. It was while perusing the books that her friends found her.

"Okay, I'll bite. What's got you all, like, hitting the books?" Stella asked as she, Bloom, Musa and Flora sat down by the round table Techna was studying at. "Because neither Avalon nor Palladium gave us any homework today".

"I'm trying to come up with how to make a wing pack," Techna answered, not looking up from the book she was reading, titled 'The Flying Book'.

The other girls exchanged a few glances.

"Alright, so maybe that sentence will make sense to us if you could start at the beginning," Bloom suggested. "Because I don't know what a wing pack is and I don't think the others do either".

"It's an idea I came up with," Techna explained. "Look, a couple of days ago, me and Databoy were on a VR date. We flew through a virtual Zenith using jetpacks, dancing in the slowly falling snow. It was awesome and very romantic".

"It sounds like you participated in a cheesy music video," Musa snarked.

"But it got me thinking. See, a jetpack is an awesome concept, right?" the scarred girl asked them.

"Indeed. But very impractical," Flora said. "The exhaust can cause considerable damage to the wearer and fuel efficiency is a concern".

"And magical antigrav tech doesn't work either," Musa added. "To actually fly and maintain a decent speed, you still need a lot of extra equipment to fuel and power it. It's just more practical to install it in aircycles or cars".

"Right. But here's the thing. There are still people who fly around on their own with magic," Techna explained. "And that's where my inspiration comes in. I thought of it while in Light Knight's class. Remember, Light Knight can fly by using magical wings. In fact, it's an iconic paladin ability. What if that ability could be used in a wearable pack?"

"If it was practical, wouldn't somebody have, like, done it before?" Stella speculated.

"I read up on it. There have been a few attempts, but nothing major," Techna said, tapping one of the books. "The biggest problem is that paladins learn to adjust the wings in flight to compensate for environmental factors and nobody's been able to make an enchantment that can automatically do that. Thing is, with modern technology, it should be a cinch to create a program or something similar that can register the environment and make the changes on the fly".

"I'm pretty sure that's easier said than done," Musa commented.

"Probably. But it's worth a shot," Techna said. "First step is stalking Avalon and scanning him to get the readings I need".

Glances were exchanged once again.  
>"Techna, I'm pretty sure that when the very first step of your plan involves stalking a teacher, you might want to go with another plan," Musa said. "Like, you could for example, and this may be a revolutionary idea, just ask Avalon to demonstrate his ability to fly".<p>

"I know," Techna said matter-of-factly. "But since he inspired me, I kinda want to surprise him. I've already convinced Tune to help me out".

"The really orderly pixie who's all about proper behaviour?" Bloom questioned. "How did you convince her to help you with stalking?"

"Turns out, she has a slight weakness for scientific studies," Techna replied with a smile.

...

"Please remind me, how you convinced me to do this," Tune flatly requested as she followed Techna out into the grounds. The rainy clouds had been blown away by the wind, leaving only the slowly sinking sun to reflect in a multitude of puddles of water.

Techna stopped for a moment, trying to recall the line she had memorised for the occasion. "Because we have the chance to make a scientific breakthrough that will help everyone advance in the field of artefact creation," she recited and eyed Tune. The pixie looked like she put all of her effort into not drooling.

"I feel so used," she muttered, as she followed the grinning scarred girl.

"Alright, let's split up. Word through the grapevine is that Light Knight likes taking walks at this time of day," Techna said and looked around. "You fly that way, I go this way. If we see him, we use these handy-dandy magic scanners to get an impression of how his magic works. And we stay in contact through these nifty Red Fountain earpieces".

"How did you get your hands on those?" Tune asked suspiciously.

"They sell out of the surplus and outdated goods. Databoy knew I was looking for something like this, so he gave me a tip that Red Fountain was upgrading and selling the older, junkier ones," Techna revealed. "But they're good enough for me".

The two of them split up and Techna tried to move inconspicuously through the grounds. Which meant whistling a lot while taking really long, overly 'sneaky' steps. Rounding a corner of the school, she suddenly noticed Avalon smelling flowers.

"Techna to Proper, I repeat, Techna to Proper. I found the target," she eagerly and quietly said.

"You do realise that I already have a name that sounds like a nickname?" Tune dryly stated back. "And it would be much more 'proper' for you to use it".

"I know, but this is much more fun," Techna replied.

"Also, I see Avalon too," Tune continued. "He's over by the banquet hall, right?"

"If by 'over by', you mean on the opposite side of," Techna continued. "He's over where Palladium had those new flowers planted".

"What? That can't be right," Tune said a bit confused.

Then Techna's phone went off and the scarred girl immediately rushed back around the corner and pressed herself against the wall. She took the call and a peek, noting that Avalon was still busy with the flowers.

"Hello," she said quietly into the phone.

"Hi, it's Musa. You asked me to tell me if I saw Avalon inside. Well, he's in the dinner hall right now".

"Huh, how odd," Techna stated. "He's already two places outside".

"What?" came Musa's voice from the phone.

"Hang on, Bloom's calling," Techna said as she noticed blinking on the phone. She pressed a button, adding the redhead to the call. "Hey, Bloom. Whassup?"

"You mentioned you were going to... Ugh, stalk Avalon," Bloom groaned. "Well, he just came by and said he had a hole in his schedule which he offered to spend with me and my royal studies. Just wanted you to know so you wouldn't waste time running all over the school trying to find him".

"What? But Avalon's in the dining room," Musa said surprised.

"And two places outside," Techna stated. "Seems like he's everywhere today".

"But how is that possible?" Bloom speculated.

"Dunno. Tons of twins maybe," Techna suggested. "I mean, normally I wouldn't mind, the guy's seriously good looking. But it's kinda inconvenient. I mean, do I have to scan all of them now?"

"I don't know, Techna," came Musa's dry voice over the phone. "But then again, I don't have a lot of experience with stalking and scanning people".

"Maybe you should just wait for Avalon to be in one place again. Or, as you said, just start scanning them all," Bloom suggested.

"I tried scanning the Avalon on my end. Nothing but very faint magic," Tune reported through the earpiece. "Indistinguishable from the background".

"Hang on, Stella's calling," Techna said and added the Solarian princess to the call.

"Hi. I just want to help you out and tell you that Avalon is, like, down in the greenhouse," the blonde informed her.

Techna sighed and said: "It's going to be one of those days, isn't it?"

...

"So, what will we be looking at today?" Bloom eagerly asked as she entered Avalon's office.

"Well, I have gotten my hands on an overview of your family's lineage," Avalon said and turned to a bookshelf. He withdrew from it a large book, big and thick enough that if it could double as a riot shield, which he placed on the table with an audible thump.

"That's a lot of lineage," Bloom commented as she eyed the book.

"Indeed," Avalon agreed and opened the book. "Most royal lineages take up considerable space. It's due to the constant cross entanglements with other royals, nobles and such. Causes quite the complicated mess. Now, I've done some preparatory work and I think we should focus on those relatives who are still alive today". He flipped through the pages. "Your family will be one of your most important resources, Bloom, but family in these kinds of circles can be a fickle and troublesome thing. Some might have more to gain by backstabbing you, and there are those that will, but others will be all too eager to help, in order to advance their agendas. What we will try to do is sort through the different people and try to create a basic assessment of them all".

"And will I have to remember it?" Bloom asked with rising dread.

"Well, no," Avalon admitted. "But it is very much recommended that you do".

Bloom sighed deeply.

...

"For fucks sake. This one's a bust too," Techna grumbled as she tried to scan another Avalon. What had first been a sort of exiting scavenger hunt was now turning into quite the frustration-filled evening, as Avalon after Avalon turned out to have all the magic of a dead hamster.

"I thought this was ridiculous when you actually convinced me to stalk one of your teachers," Tune, who had joined up with the scarred girl, stated. "But now this whole outing has just become bizarre".

"Well, this isn't working," Techna sighed and shut off the scanner. "Maybe I can just use the instructions from the book. It was pretty detailed, shouldn't be too hard to follow".

"Right. Improvising a complicated spell reserved for elite warriors," Tune echoed. "Not too hard at all".

"Well, Databoy sent me a copy of a program that's used by unmanned drones," Techna said. "So if I can just modify it a bit, it should be usable in my wingpack".

"Should being the keyword," the grey-haired pixie pointed out.

"Hang on, cell's ringing," the magenta-haired girl said and pulled the phone from her pocket. "Yellow".

"Yellow what?" came the reply from the other end.

"Ah, Flowergirl. What's up?" Techna jovially asked.

"Well, I was reading up on artefact creation, both because what you said made me genuinely curious and because I do not wish to see you blow yourself or anyone else up," Flora explained. "And I stumbled upon a thesis on the creation of standardized artefact enchantments. Guess who wrote it".

"Well, obviously it isn't you, since you would just flat out tell me," Techna continued. "Is it DuFour?"

"No. Griffin, the headmistress of Cloud Tower," Flora said. "I would suggest that you give her a call and set up a meeting. She might possibly be able to give you a few pointers that will be essential if you want to continue with you project without any more destructive setbacks".

"Alright," Techna replied happily. "Thanks for the tip, Flowergirl. Maybe this won't turn into such a disaster after all".

"One can only hope," the brunette responded. "See you later".

"Laters," the scarred girl said and ended the conversation. Then she flipped through the phone's phonebook and called Cloud Tower.

...

"Thanks for picking me up, Databoy," Techna said. She was sitting on the backseat of Timmy's aircycle, the two of them driving to Cloud Tower.

"Well, what better way to spend a free evening than helping out my girlfriend?" he said. "Besides, I'm curious to see if you can get this idea of yours off the ground".

"Was that an intentional joke, because if it was, good one?" Techna asked with a chuckle

"Heh, well, yeah that was intentional," Timmy admitted. "By the way, the tune up you did on the aircycle works like a charm".

"Hey, it was rattling like every part was about to fly off, and let's be honest, you're more into programming than mechanics," Techna added.

"Eh, guilty as charged," Timmy replied with a shrug.

Minutes later, they came to a stop outside the great structure of Cloud Tower and made their way inside. The two of them were escorted to Griffin's office, where the pale headmistress showed up not long after.

"Greetings. I hope the wait wasn't too long," she said as she sat down in her chair.

"Not at all," Techna replied. "So, you wrote a thesis on artefacts?"  
>"Straight to business, I see," Griffin noted with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "Yes, I have quite the expertise in it. I wouldn't call myself revolutionary, but I've created a new artefact or five in my lifetime". As she noted Techna's excited look, she added. "And I can guess that you have come up with some idea for a new artefact that you now want to create".<p>

Techna didn't reply, she just started rapidly nodding her head, eyes and smile wide in eager anticipation.

"Well, the first thing you should know is that you will fail," Griffin started. "That is, at first. Creating a stable, easy to recreate artefact is hard work and involves a degree of trial and error. Also a bit of luck, to be perfectly honest. So first of all, don't expect it to work the first time. Or even the first couple of times. Start small, make some prototypes, see how they work. If you start too big, well, then I hope you like soot marks as wall decoration. Also, always keep in mind the potential application of your project. Just because you can make a nose hair seeking missile doesn't mean anybody will want it".

"That's a thing?" Timmy asked.

"Yeah. One of our students wanted to make personal hygiene more interesting," Griffin explained. "Fortunately, his nose could be patched together again".

"Anything else?" Techna asked, eager for more advice.

"Well, that's about all the advice I can give. Everything else is a question of applied techniques and such, which you should be learning at Alfea," Guinevere continued. "Though to truly succeed, you'll also need to have or develop some experience, patience, guts and positive attitude in the face of adversity".

"Alright. Got it," Techna said and got up from her chair. "Well, thanks for your words of wisdom, but I should get home and apply some of it. See ya".

She eagerly left through the door, thoughts already consumed with ideas of what to make and how to make it.

"She's going to make a full-sized prototype," Griffin stated.

"Yep," Timmy sighed.

"I recognise that look. She has an idea and will not let it be compromised," Griffin mused. "Either she'll pull off a miracle or cold, hard reality will be her teacher".

"I just hope she won't be too disappointed if it blows up in her face," Timmy added a bit worried. "She's really excited about this".

Griffin chuckled and added. "Given what I know of the girl, she probably won't mind the part where it explodes".

"Maybe not. Anyway, thanks for your time, even if it was a rather brief meeting," Timmy said and shook hands with Griffin. "I better get going. Don't want to risk her driving away without me".

"I sincerely doubt that will ever be an issue," Griffin added as the bespectacled warrior left the office.

...

A couple of days later, Bloom once again entered Avalon's office in order to expand upon her knowledge of royal procedures and such. Although, Bloom felt more like the only thing she was actually expanding was a headache. Avalon had tried to fill her in on her extended family, but after having to go through five different family trees of considerable size and writing down five pages of cross references and notes, the redhead felt like a mess. And thus, while she was appreciative of the effort invested in securing her future as a royal, she also started to dread its complicated games and double meanings.

"Ah, Bloom. Considering how drained you were after our last lesson, I suggest we temporarily drop the subject of your family and focus on something else that will be important," the paladin greeted her. "That is, the art of giving gifts".

"They've certainly been eager on the gift giving front," Bloom remarked. "I think I've shared chocolate and candy with every single student on Alfea by now. Not to mention some of the other students have suddenly become very friendly".

"Indeed, that is to be expected," Avalon sighed. "We are lucky that Faragonda is so adamant about keeping politics out of Alfea. I have no idea where we would be without her".

"Probably drowning in party invitations," Bloom commented. "So, gifts. I assume, based on our previous lessons, that this is also somehow needlessly complicated".

"Well, yes," Avalon admitted. "You see, now we move into the territory of gift meanings. Now, giving a gift with the wrong meaning doesn't mean that you're suddenly married to someone, but it will be a serious social faux pass. It will make you seem ignorant, which could be damaging for you nation's relations with others. Let us starts with flowers".

Bloom sighed as Avalon opened a lexicon. That there actually had to be one for such a subject struck the redhead as completely ridiculous.

"Well, before we begin, how have things been going lately?" the paladin asked as he flipped through the floral lexicon.

The redhead thought back on the last couple of days, before responding with: "Good, for the most part. I've gained a pretty good control of heat and smoke as my peripheral knacks. Now I'm just curious to learn if I have more".

"I'm happy to hear that you are advancing at a steady pace," Avalon praised her. "I always knew you had talent, Bloom".

"Thanks," the redhead said, blushing a bit. "Also, Techna has more or less locked herself inside her room. She's obsessed with... Well... A project".

"I hope it goes better with this one than with her last project," Avalon said and looked up from the lexicon. "I was about to take a bath when it happened. Almost got my head knocked off by a flying shower head".

"That is quite the image," Bloom chuckled.

...

Meanwhile, inside Techna's room, the scarred girl was bent over her project. It was made from several linked pieces of metal, so that it could fit over a wearer's back and follow to curves of the body. Its front was covered with small cameras and sensors, to allow the machine to register wind and weather in every direction.

Sparks flew as Techna soldered enchanted crystals to circuits and fused rune engraved metal with wires. Magic flowed experimentally from her and into the machine, guiding her in the creation. A dozen books were spread out, detailing artefacts, construction methods and paladins. Beside her, her computer nosily churned away as it worked on feeding the project line after line of advanced code about weather recognition.

The pixie Tune flew over to the magenta-haired fairy and wiped sweat off her brow with a small towel, before asking: "Don't you think you should take a break and go out and see if your friends can still remember you?"

"Not now," Techna replied with something approaching manic glee. "I am close to a breakthrough. This time, I got it".

Tune eyed the small shards of crystal embedded in the wall, before dryly asking: "Just like the last one?"

"No, no, I've learned from my mistakes," Techna insisted with intense excitement. "I've balanced the power more, upgraded the memory and used less frazzled wires. Small issues that have been swept away". Her computer beeped as she closed the lid on the machine's exposed innards. "Alright, data uploaded. Ready for the test?"

"Yes," Tune confirmed, as she hid behind a pile of miniature sandbags. "You go ahead and attempt to make it work".

With a wide grin, Techna pressed the start-up button.

The wingpack rumbled and vibrated, before slowly, golden wings started unfolding from its sides.

"It's working," Techna gasped. "It's actually working. IT'S WORKING! IT'S WOR..."

Then the artefact shot forward with considerable speed and smashed through the wall with a noisy crash.

"It's through the wall," Tune commented.

Seconds later, the sound of a door getting smashed down could be heard.

"Should probably go fix that," Techna added and hurried out of her room and into the common room.

"I'll stay here. That thing scares me," Tune said.

"What in the Abyss just happened?!" Stella exclaimed as she and Aisha stormed out of their rooms. The door to the common room has been splintered by a fearsome impact.

"I had an accident," Techna stated. "Still, I'm impressed. It's actually flying".

"Wait, you got your crazy dohickey to work?" Musa asked as she hurried out the room. "Where is it?"

"That way," Techna said and pointed. "Would you mind helping me catch it? It's kinda a possibility that it will break something. Well, something else than what is already has".

"Ugh, fine," Stella groaned.

"Why are you assisting her?" Aisha asked a bit confused. "Clearly, this is her own mess and her own fault".

"Yeah, but it's what friends do," Stella sighed. The princess of Tides did not look convinced.

At that moment, Bloom walked in, too engrossed in her notes to notice the broken door. "So dark chocolate is considered romantic in Solaria, but an ordinary gift in Isis, except in cases of funerals, in which it might mean..." she mumbled as she sat down with her notes. "...used in family outings. Very presumptuous if given by..."

"We're going to go hunt my renegade machine. If it comes back, tell it to stay, okay Firetop?" Techna asked as she hurried out the ruined door, Musa and Stella in tow.

"Yes, yes, if the flower machine brings chocolate, tell it to go to a picnic," Bloom mumbled absent-mindedly as she continued to go through her notes.

...

Avalon sighed happily as the warm steam enveloped his body. Truly, he loved the fact that part of his teacher gig involved access to a sauna. It was one of the joys he had once been without, but now, he could not imagine ever having to live without a readily available sauna. His muscles relaxed as sweat slowly flowed across his skin. Being a teacher might not be the most strenuous job, but it was still rough with all the students and classes, making these moments of complete relaxation a treat for the teachers. He lazily opened his eyes and glanced at the clock. It was getting late and he realised he should probably spend some time preparing for the next day's classes. He forced himself up and headed for the door.

...

"Where could it be?" Musa questioned as the three of them charged down the now nearly empty hallways of Alfea. Outside, the sun had vanished and the skies had gone dark. "You wouldn't think a disembodied pair of glowing wings would be so hard to find".

"Maybe it, like, turned off at some point," Stella suggested.

Techna pondered for a moment, before whistling and calling: "Come back to momma, little wingpack".

"You seriously thought that would work?" Musa asked, eyebrow raised in a gesture of disbelief.

"It might have," Techna replied with a shrug as they rounded a corner. "I mean, stranger things have THERE IT IS!" she exclaimed and pointed.

Indeed, the wingpack rounded a corner and flew down the hallway with the speed of a bullet.

"After it, after it!" Musa called as the three girls broke into a sprint. "Before we lose sight of it again".

"Somehow, I just know this won't end well," Stella gasped as she started sprinting.

...

Avalon hummed a melody as he walked down the hallway in a white bathrobe. He felt that getting back in his clothes right after a bath and sauna was annoying and inconvenient, so he'd rather saunter back to his office in the soft and warm embrace of his bathrobe. Of course, he had made sure that Faragonda was okay with it. One thing Avalon had ingrained into his priorities was that he should always make sure his ideas were okay with the staff and rules, so as to avoid unnecessary conflicts. It was with these thoughts in mind that he rounded a corner and froze. A silver missile with glowing white wings was coming at him with the speed of a runaway train. Training kicked in and Avalon immediately turned and ran, manifesting wings to try to escape the potentially deadly item. He rounded a corner, the flying object trailing him while Techna, Musa and Stella were trying to follow them both.

"Is it chasing him? Why is it chasing him?" Musa loudly pondered as she tried to keep up with the two winged beings.

"Maybe it's targeting him. Might be a mistake in the code," Techna gaspingly suggested.

"Well, stop it before it hurts Avalon," Stella hissed, her legs burning from trying to keep up with the speedy apparatus.

In front of them, Avalon weaved around corners and rushed down hallways, trying to lose the homing device that seemed unwilling to leave him alone. He twirled around columns, made sharp U-turns and even pushed doors shut to stop the advancing projectile. The wingpack didn't care, smashing through any object between it and its target, even as the metal started to crumble and the insides started to spark from the force of the repeated impacts. Holding on tightly to his bathrobe, Avalon rounded another corner by the big window that overlooked the school's courtyard and froze, suddenly face to face with a shocked Griselda, who was making her rounds. He paused but for a second, surprised to see the deputy headmistress.

Unfortunately, that second was long enough.

The wingpack crashed into him, forcing the paladin against the great window, which fortunately resisted the impact, only gaining a few cracks in its glass. Unfortunately, this impact was too much for the machine to handle. Connections burnt out, crystals shattered and drivers melted as the insides ignited and detonated. With a bright flash, the entire thing exploded. The window shattered as Avalon was hurled howling through the air, his magical wings obliterated by the flare of the dying artefact, small fragments of burnt bathrobe and underwear floating in the air like confetti. With a prolonged scream, he sailed through the air, before flying head first into the waters of the school's fountain.

Techna ran to the shattered panes of glass and stared down into the moonlit courtyard. In the waters of the fountain floated the unconscious, but still living Avalon, his bathrobe and underpants obliterated by the event.

"Okay, not good," Techna said and turned, only to also realise that the deputy headmistress was present. Her eyes was wide, her jaw completely surrendered to gravity and her clipboard began to slowly slide out of her hand, before falling to the floor with an audible clunk.

"Ehm, hello Miss Griselda," Techna chuckled nervously. "As you might have noticed, there's been a slight accident and I think Avalon might need some medical attention. And pants".

...

Faragonda rubbed her temples in reaction to the story she had just heard. She had been called by Griselda after a very audible explosion and now she, the deputy and Wizgiz and gathered in her office along with Techna, in order to decide what to do. Slowly, she asked: "Pollyanna, what made you think, especially given what happened the last time you attempted an experiment on such a scale, that trying to construct an experimental flying device in your own room was a good idea?"

Techna adjusted her collar, the use of her actual name an uncomfortable reminder of how much trouble she was in. "Well, I just wanted to surprise everyone".

"And in that, you have succeeded," Griselda added humourlessly.

"Indeed. Fortunately, Avalon is as tough as they come," Faragonda continued. "He will recover from this with no scars but his memory of being defenestrated by an unstable artefact".

"Yeah, really not the intended function," Techna admitted.

"Do ye have any idea why it happened, lassie?" Wizgiz asked. "Why did that crazy thing go all haywire and try to knock poor Avalon over?"

"Well, turns out part of the weather program I used compels the drone to seek out interesting weather formations," Techna explained. "So maybe when I fed it data of paladins in order to make it regulate its wings, it wanted to seek out one and fly into it".

"Alright, now that that has been established, what do we do?" Faragonda asked the others.

"Well, admittedly the rules are a bit vague when it comes to students creating magical things in their off time," Griselda started. "After all, some students do make artefacts as a hobby and it is allowed. But I am pretty certain that this violates if not the word, then the spirit of that rule".

"Right. But we can't punish if the rules themselves are vague," Wizgiz argued. "If something is up for interpretation, there's always the risk of people pushing said rules to the limits. I say we let her go with a warning".

"You bring up a good point," Faragonda agreed. "Alright, Techna, in light of the fact that the rules are vague on this point and considering the minimal damage done, I am willing to overlook it this one time. I will recommend that if you want to continue your project, then you do it in the workshop. You can work there after hours without teacher oversight, but I advise you to be careful".

"Right. I think I'm going to start small from now on," Techna said. "I've just always wanted to get to the big finish as quickly as possible".

"I hear ya, lassie," Wizgiz said and pulled his experiment apparatus forth. "But we have to learn to crawl before we can walk. Ye would have much more success if you took a breath and started small. Me and DuFour did the same for this apparatus and now..." He pressed a button and dozens of Avalons appeared in the room. "It's running stable," Wizgiz said.

"So that's why there were hot teachers all over the school the other day," Techna said excitedly. "You were running a trial".

"Yes, but I started small," Wizgiz insisted. "If I hadn't, this device might have..." The device suddenly detonated in a flash, causing all the illusionary paladins to fade. Wizgiz blinked in confusion, before he slowly began picking splinters out of his eyebrows. "Well, back to the drawing board I guess".

...

Techna walked into the common room.

"Well. What was the verdict?" Musa asked.

"The rules were vague, so they let me go with a warning," the scarred girl replied.

"Then you are very lucky. Few people could get away with publicly blowing the clothes off a teacher," Flora stated.  
>"Yeah. And now naked Avalon is tots trending on the school forums," Stella commented.<p>

"I just hope he'll forgive me," Techna sighed. "At least, I've learned something about starting small".

"I wish I could start small," Bloom moaned, eyeing her notes. "This is a mess. I don't know how, but somehow I've written that if I give candy flowers raw chocolate it will insult all nearby party picnics when at funerals. I can hardly make heads or tail of this mess to begin with and now I've made all of these nonsense annotations. My royal studies are a completely absurd nightmare".  
>"Yep, starting small sounds real good," Techna said affirmatively as Bloom bashed her head into the table with a groan.<p> 


	10. Codex

Chapter 10: Codex

Sky walked down the hallways of Red Fountain, absent-mindedly twirling his phone in his hand. He was of two minds about what he was planning. He should call her. He wanted to. Chat for a bit and maybe agree on a trip to the woods with Lady. His dog very much liked Bloom and was kinda missing her. And Sky had to admit that so was he. But they had both been busy and whenever he called, well... It never really went the way Sky wanted. In fact, the last couple of calls had almost managed to drive him nuts. Brandon kept saying he was too thin-skinned and Sky had a sneaking suspicion that his squire was right as usual, but that fact alone couldn't change how he felt. But then again, he would also feel bad about not calling.

So as far as he could see, he could either refrain from calling, and probably regret it, or give a call, and probably regret it. He sighed and stared out one of the windows. The view had significantly improved after the building had gone airborne. One of the definite pluses, among which were also the improved training facilities, upgraded defence systems and superior indoors heating.

He finally sighed and forced himself to stop stalling and make a choice. Already regretting said choice, he flipped through the phonebook and called Bloom. He bit his lips as he could hear it call. Part of him almost hoped she wouldn't take it. Then he would have called and could at least say that he had tried.

"Hello, Sky," came Bloom's voice over the phone. The voice brought both relief and worry to the Eraklian prince. But Sky tried to calm his mind. Maybe she had gotten it all off her chest and now they could talk about normal stuff, he tried to rationalise.

"You wouldn't believe all the stuff I've dealt with in my royal studies," Bloom continued.

Sky couldn't stop himself from sighing.

"Like for example, we looked into my family tree. Our families are actually related just a couple of generations back," Bloom said. "Not that that makes us cousins or anything, or at least Avalon told me so and I trust him on that. He really seems to have an understanding for all that royal stuff. I can't fathom how he can keep track of it all".

"That's... Nice," Sky forced himself to say. "Hey, so how was your day?"

"It was okay," Bloom answered. "Anyway, Avalon also knew a lot about your country's traditions. Like the fact that you guys have multiple crowning ceremonies, both when the heir is born, acknowledged and finally takes over, with various degrees of power invested in them at different stages. Also, is it true that if I send you teddy bears or the like, then I imply you're immature? Avalon said that was the case and that struck me as kinda odd given how many dolls and such I got, but again, I trust Avalon knows this stuff".

"That's... Fantastic..." Sky forced out as he punched the button to the elevator. "Listen, just for a change of subject, Lady has kinda been missing our walks. Something you would be up for?"

"Maybe," Bloom replied quickly. "So as I was saying, Avalon's been really supportive and he says I'm going to be a great ruler. I didn't think so, because I keep getting all these royal things wrong, but he says I'm getting a handle on it. We're also talking about possibly having me address the press at some point, to quell some of the stories that have been running around. Avalon says that not getting things under control could undermine my authority. I'm really happy Faragonda arranged for him to teach me, because it seems like there's so many ways I could have fallen through as a queen without ever knowing. Still need to learn what I can send to whom, but if nothing else, I can always get some advice from Avalon".

"Sounds amazing," Sky hissed in a strained voice as he stomped into the elevator. He didn't mean to sound angry, but he couldn't help it.  
>"Something wrong?" Bloom asked.<p>

"No... Well, yes, actually, I was just starting to wonder why I'm even part of this call," Sky retorted, patience strained, as he punched one of the buttons on the elevator. He didn't even care where he was going at that point.

"What...? What do you mean," Bloom asked surprised. "I'm talking to you, am I not?"

"More like talking at me," Sky replied. "Like the last couple of times I've called".

"Gee, sorry. Maybe you shouldn't have called when you're so grumpy," Bloom grumbled.

"Oh, then why don't you just go talk with Avalon," Sky said a tinge mockingly. "As amazing as he is, I'm sure he won't mind being your personal diary".

"You know what? I think I will," Bloom responded, ire obviously rising. "Because at least Avalon doesn't call me, only to get all pissy for no reason".

"Excellent. You go do that," Sky replied, the volume of his voice rising. "Then I guess I'll just hang up so you can hang out with your boyfriend".

"Fine, you do that," the redhead responded.

"Fine," the blond replied.

"FINE!" Bloom yelled and ended the call.

"I SAID _I_ WOULD HANG UP!" Sky yelled at the phone. He breathed heavily for a moment, before bashing his head against the metal wall of the elevator. "Deep breath," he told himself. "Deep breath". He suddenly noticed that the elevator wasn't moving. He pushed the buttons, only to realise the thing was stuck. He groaned, bashed his head against the wall again and prepared to call tech support.

...

"Let me get that one more time," Techna said. "What happened to your nose?"

Bloom was holding a piece of paper-towel to her nose. "I was outside having a... Phone call," she said evasively. "And then I walked into a pillar afterwards. That's all". She gingerly wiped some of the blood away. "And I didn't have time to go see Ophelia about it before this class".

"And now you're bloodied before we've even started battling," Musa commented. "That's gotta be some sort of record".

"So, any idea what exactly combat magic class entails?" Bloom asked the black-haired girl.

"Beats me," Musa replied. "I mean, I guess it will involve learning how to properly use magic both offensively and defensively. Most likely both for our own and others safety. It's kinda like what Knut told me over at Red Fountain. A fighter who knows what he's doing is less of an involuntary danger to himself and others".

"You'd be quite right about that, Miss Xenophon," Griselda sad as she entered the room and took her place by the blackboard. "Learning combat magic is about both becoming more and less dangerous at the same time". After a short pause, she asked: "Well? Why are you all staring like that? You didn't expect this to be a teacher-less class I assume".

"Wait, you're the teacher in combat magic?" Techna asked. "I thought you just... You know, deputised and stuff".

"I happen to be very apt at using my magic for combative purposes," Griselda replied. "Something I thought I adequately demonstrated last year. But never mind that. Today's class will consist of two parts. First, a theoretical one and then a practical one. The purpose of this class is not, and I want all of you to pay close attention to this, to teach you how to beat the daylight out of everyone. The point is to teach you how to utilize your powers efficiently during a dangerous situation. Since magic is linked to emotions, and even a fairy can get a boost from a serious fright, there's a serious risk of you injuring somebody unnecessarily. So no, this is not the class where you learn spells that will allow you to throw glowing spheres of power at each other. That's Palladium's table. This class is here because the world is dangerous and you will use your knack when it gets dangerous. It will teach you to do so without harming yourselves or others unintentionally. Now, have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Miss Griselda," the class said.

"Good, though I suspect I will have to repeat myself at some point," the deputy mused. "Never been a year without someone trying to be a show-off and pulling some reckless stunt in order to impress everybody". She cleared her throat and continued with: "Now then, what's the first thing you should do in a fight? Techna?"

"Try to find a weak spot," the scarred girl suggested.

"An unsurprising answer. Also a wrong one," Griselda replied. "Anyone else? Jonny?"

"Try to get the first hit in," the boy tried.

"Again, wrong," Griselda said. "Not surprising, really. I rarely have anyone get it right. Musa?"

"See if there's a way out," Musa said.  
>"Excellent. Am I correct to assume that Red Fountain taught you that?" Griselda asked.<p>

"Actually, my dad did," Musa replied. "Though both Ion and Knut brought it up".

"Interesting. But yes, Musa is right," the deputy headmistress said. "The first thing you should do is see if you can avoid a fight. Don't take that to mean that you should always run, sometimes you have to stand up and fight. But you should always keep in mind to see if the fight is even necessary. If there's no reason to risk anyone's health, then simply don't. Run away, have a talk or call for help. There's a lot of options, all of which means you won't have to shed each other's blood. Sometimes, that is the preferable option". Her gaze wandered across her students. "I see some of you do not agree with me. Well, that's fine, really. Why don't we move on to the practical part? Come, we'll do it outside".

...

Deep beneath the crust of the earth, behind a newly reconstructed wall, the insidious lord Darkar was holding court with his three minions.

"You called us, master," Darcy greeted the Shadow Phoenix as they kneeled in front of his massive and imposing throne.

Darkar took a deep breath and said: "The time has come to kick the second act of this show into gear. We will strike at Red Fountain and take from them their piece of the Codex".

Stormy glanced at the two others, hoping to see a glimmer of recognition.

"Don't look at me, I don't know what codex he's talking about," Icy said.

"Can we assume that this isn't just some ordinary codex?" Darcy asked.

"Hmm, I do suppose I should fill you in on the plot," Darkar pondered. "Alright, short version is that these are the plot coupons we want in order to win at everything".

Darcy sighed. She had some measure of respect for her current employer, but the fact that he obviously viewed reality as some sort of play or film annoyed her. "Do you think you could elaborate?" she requested.

"Right, exposition. I can do that," the dark lord said. "Alright, do any of you know what Relix is?"

"Ehm... Relics are really old objects, right?" Stormy suggested.

"So the codex is a relic," Icy guessed.

"No, no. Relix, with an x at the end instead of a c and an s," Darkar explained. "It's another world, in which a great power has been sealed away, one which I have spent centuries trying to recover".

"So when you say 'great power', how great are we talking?" Icy asked eagerly.

"The greatest," Darkar answered. "It makes everything else pale in comparison. The dragonflame is but a spark compared to its magnificence". He sighed. "But of course the heroes of past seasons thought it was too dangerous and sealed it. Locked the entire dimension away and hid the keys".

"And this codex is a key?" Stormy asked.

"No, the Codex is the keys," Darkar replied. "It's split up in four parts. Four wooden tablets to be specific. I've tracked and thunted them across a multitude of worlds. Each time I almost get them in my grasp, they're moved elsewhere and the hunt starts anew. But my last attempt revealed to me that the Codex has been hidden in the three schools and in Pixie Village. And judging from Red Fountain's reaction last time, they've still got their piece".

"Alright. So, what's the plan?" Darcy asked, suddenly very intrigued.

The lord of Shadowhaunt opened his hand and black flames fell from it, before reshaping into a model of the new Red Fountain. "I will send Kerborg and a large number of my mooks to attack Red Fountain," he began.

"You seriously don't expect to be able to punch through with that," Darcy pointed out. "I'm not saying they will get wiped out immediately, but you won't be able to take the school with that few troops".

"They will be the distraction. One that Red Fountain can't afford to ignore," Darkar explained. "I have no interest in the academy, only the Codex".

"And won't this deprive you of troops? What if they counter attack?" Darcy asked.

"Being underground means that we can easily hold them off with little issue. The tunnels form natural choke-points," Darkar said. "And if we need more troops I'll just raid another troglodyte village and convert them into more forsaken".

"Yeah, that was... Horrifying," Stormy said quietly. She had been the one to escort the prisoners and had been unfortunate enough to witness them being hurled into the flesh vats and re-purposed. Just the memory made her stomach churn. Though Darkar had refused from stopping the killing, citing his villainous credentials as a reason, he had agreed to let Stormy out of having anything to do with it, concluding she was one of those anti-villainous minions. He had said he looked forward to see if she had a character arc and that comment had made Stormy very afraid of her and her friends' current employer. In a way, Darkar was even worse than Icy in Stormy's eyes. At least Icy seemed to realise that she was hurting actual people, even if she got a sadistic thrill out of it. Darkar just thought them to be background characters without any importance, as if those troglodytes that had been melted down didn't have families, feelings or lives in general.

"So no, I do not fear retaliation," Darkar concluded. "Shadowhaunt will not be in danger until the heroes set foot down here to engage us in the final confrontation. But that is still far off".

"Alright, it would seem that the strategy is sound so far," Darcy muttered while studying the map where several figures representing a variety of troops had popped up. "So, what do you want us to do?"

"You will be dropped in on the top once Red Fountain has been engaged," Darkar explained. "Then you will make your way to the central part of Red Fountain, open the vault and steal the Codex. Obviously, next you will escape. Also, expect that our little heroines will interfere, but I am reasonably certain that you will beat them this time".

"And why the sudden optimism?" Darcy asked. "Last time, you were pretty sure we would lose".

"Darcy, these things have an ebb and flow to them," Darkar explained, as if he was about to tell them something that was profoundly philosophical and not at all batshit insane. "Now is the time for the dramatic first villainous victory that ups the tension and reveals us to be a serious threat. Of course, the heroes will survive and you will fight them some other time, but that is for another day".

"I so wish our battle plans didn't rely on narrative convenience," Darcy groaned.

"Well, that's it for the strategy," Darkar said, dismissing the illusion. "Now then, I have an important dilemma that I face and I will need your counsel on this".

"We will aid you to the best of our abilities," Darcy replied diplomatically.

"Should I get a cape?" Darkar asked them. "Because I think it would add a lot to my look, but it might also take away some of my terrifying gaunt physique by making me appear broader. I must take my character design into consideration".

"Right, you... You just do what you find best, my lord," Darcy sighed. "We will support your decision".

"Hmm, alright. Dismissed," Darkar said and the three left the throne room.

Once outside the room, Maria asked: "Hey, have the two of you ever thought about maybe just packing our stuff and running away?"

"What?!" Icy asked incredulously. "Absolutely not. We have a castle, servants that brings us everything we want, more power than we could ever get on our own and even more coming our way. Why in the Abyss would we leave?"

"Because Darkar is an unstable madman who thinks reality is a cartoon show," Stormy replied. "Seriously, he does horrible things with no other justification than him being the villain. That's seriously fucked up. Even we had better reasons for what we did".

"That's of course assuming Darkar has told us everything about his motivation," Darcy added. "But no, fleeing is not a good option".

"Why?" Stormy asked.  
>"Because then Darkar would be obligated to hunt us down and kill us gruesomely, both to establish his status as the biggest bad guy around and also as an example to future minions," Darcy explained. "It will of course be nothing personal, but that is what a good villain would do".<p>

"Don't tell me you have actually bought into the whole narrative psychosis he's got going," Stormy said a bit worried.

"Don't worry, I haven't," Darcy replied. "But I am aware of storytelling conventions and that means I can somewhat predict what he'll do. One wonders how he'll react once reality starts to go off the rails".

"Maybe he'll just completely break and then we can take over this place," Icy suggested.

"I see you're not as loyal toward him as you've otherwise seemed to indicate," Darcy mused dryly.

"I like the guy's style," Icy said with a shrug. "But really, isn't backstabbing the boss when he's vulnerable what a good minion would do?"

"I'm going to go find my diary and tell it my life has turned into a fucking joke," Stormy sighed. "Maybe then I'll feel better about it".

In the background, they could hear the echoing yell of: "MOOKS! BRING ME MY EXTINCT CREATURE CARDS!"

...

At Alfea, the class had assembled outside. It was a sunny autumn day, with a refreshing breeze blowing across the school. The temperature was a bit cold but not overwhelmingly so. The fairies had lined up and curiously awaited the next step. Griselda was pacing back and forth, not impatiently, but as if calculating or investigating something. Around them, warding poles had been raised, ensuring that spells that were hurled would not leave the confines of the improvised arena Griselda had created for the class.

"We are ready to begin," she suddenly stated. "Now, the next part is very simple. I know some of you have combat training. I know some of you have experienced actual combat. So why don't we put that to the test? I want you to try to attack me". After a moment's pause, she added: "Oh, and do not worry about holding back. I assure you that I can take it".

"Wait, so we're just supposed to assault you?" one student asked.

"Yes, that is indeed was I just requested of you," Griselda confirmed. "Come on, we haven't gotten all day".

"Will you be fighting back?" another student questioned.

"Of course," Griselda confirmed. "Otherwise, I'd just create some moving targets for you. This is to simulate a hostile encounter with another magi. I'll be attempting to throw you out of the arena and if I manage to do so, you're out of the battle. If you manage to make me yield then you'll be the winners. I'm even being nice and letting the lot of you have the first shot".

"Is there a prize for winning?" a pink-haired fairy asked.

"Well, it will show that you know enough not to need any homework for quite a while," Griselda answered.

"Wait, all of us should attack you at once?" Musa asked.

"Yes and I can handle it," Griselda assured the black-haired girl. "Now, go on".

Seconds passed before a stone was sorta hurled through the air in a very non-committed way, not even grazing the teacher.  
>Griselda sighed, before warning them: "Either you start attacking or I'll give you homework of such a degree that your exams will look like a walk in the park in comparison". The tidal wave of projectiles that now flew towards her told Griselda that the students had been motivated. The wave washed over where she stood before dissipating against the surrounding barrier. When the dust settled, Griselda was nowhere to be seen.<p>

"On no, did we kill her?" one panicking student said. "She-she told us to attack her. It wasn't ouARGH". The student in question was suddenly hit by a torrent of mud and flung out of the arena.

"Due to the flexibility of magic, keeping an eye on your environment at all time is a must," Griselda lectured from her new position behind them.

"She's good," Techna stated approvingly.

Another barrage was flung in Griselda's direction, which the deputy blocked by raising an earthen wall. Several students fanned out to try to get around the barrier. A group of them suddenly felt the earth shake beneath them, before it suddenly opened up. Three fairies weren't quick enough and was literally swallowed by the earth, before being spat out outside the arena a few seconds later.

"Okay, any ideas?" Bloom asked Flora as they took cover behind a tree.

"Given the environment, Griselda has a clear advantage," Flora stated. "She is also both stronger and way more experienced than us. I doubt I could take her on alone and most of us do not have the experience to handle her".

A giant hand made of rock sailed through the air, carrying a screaming Aisha within its grasp.

"But most of us fought in a war last year," Bloom pointed out.

"Yes, but Griselda is a survivor of much harsher times," Flora pointed out. "In fact, I would not be surprised if she herself had participated in the wars that raged back then. She is much more dangerous than some construct which is just marching towards you".

Techna was flung past them in a river of mud while yelling: "BEST CLASS EVER!"

"And our side is steadily losing, if you will, troops," Flora pointed out. "I am not seeing us winning this".

"Well, I'm not giving up," Bloom stated, feeling a familiar surge inside her. She could feel her powers blossoming and with it came an appetite for victory. She leapt forth from cover and flung a charged ball of flame at Griselda, who was currently flinging some students out with an arm made of rock. She noticed the glowing orb speeding towards her and raised an earthen barrier to block it. There was an explosion as the fireball collided with the wall and pulverised it.

"I see you have taken 'not holding back' to heart," Griselda mused as she eyed the eradicated wall. "At least you paid attention to that part of the lesson".

Bloom charged her magic again, the dragonflame surging through her, and flung another glowing orb. Griselda didn't try to block it this time, instead sinking into the ground.

Bloom immediately started looking around for the teacher. The moment something popped out of the ground, Bloom turned and flung another charged projectile, blowing a defenceless pillar of earth to smithereens. Bloom realised it was a trap and tried to turn around, but she was too slow. A wave of mud hit her and washed her out of the arena.

"That was amazing," Techna said as Bloom landed besides her. "I'd never would have thought that Griselda would be into magical mud wrestling". The redhead groaned in response.

"Now then, anyone else?" Griselda asked as she surveyed the arena.

"Actually," a pink-haired fairy said as she peaked out from a bush. "Me and some of my classmates were wondering if we could just leave the arena?"

"If you leave, you lose the chance to get out of homework," Griselda stated.

"Yes, but it has become quite obvious that you simply outmatch us in every aspect," Flora stated.

"And if we're going to leave the arena anyway, I'd rather do it without being covered in a layer of mud," Musa added.

"Very well then, you may leave," Griselda said with a gesture of her hand. "In fact, I'd say class is over now. I hope that this has been a memorable demonstration of why you should sometimes seek not to fight".

"Wait, so the point of this fight was to not fight?" Bloom asked. When she saw Griselda nod, she threw her head back in the surrounding mud while groaning: "It just isn't my day today".

...

Bloom sighed as she sat down in the common room sofa.

"Rough day?" Flora asked as she looked up from her book, her eyes framed by her reading glasses.

"SeFogelia is still sick so the food still sucks, Sky was a jerk over the phone, I got a nosebleed from bashing against one of the school's pillars and I got beaten up by my teacher in class," Bloom grumbled. "So yeah, not a good day today".

"Hmm, most of that I can do nothing about," Flora noted as she put the book down. "But tell me about Sky".

"I don't feel like it," Bloom mumbled.

"Well, that is your prerogative," Flora replied.

The redhead sighed and continued with: "I just don't get it. He calls me and then he suddenly gets angry that I'm talking with him".

"That does sound weird. And very uncharacteristic," Flora noted. "What were you talking with him about?"

"Well, I just told him about my royal studies. I thought he might be interested and have something to add," Bloom explained. "Instead, he just got angry. He's always getting angry lately".

"Really?" the brunette asked. "This is not the first time?"

"Well, no, but it was the worst time," Bloom clarified. "He calls me and then gets angry. Then why even call me? I should just stop taking his calls".

"And what were you talking about the other times?" Flora asked.

"Well... My royal studies mostly," Bloom said. "It's really been taking up a lot of my time recently and Sky is a royal. I figured he might show some appreciation for it".

"You talked with Sky, the guy who refuses to go by his title and could not host a formal event if his life depended on it, about royal protocol and history?" Flora asked.

"Oh, so now you're taking his side," Bloom snapped.

Flora just raised an eyebrow. Seconds passed in awkward silence.

"Okay, that may have... Been a... Bit out of line," Bloom admitted sheepishly.

"Really, implying that pointing out obvious facts somehow makes me allied with Sky in a conspiracy to piss you off is out of line?" Flora asked.

The redhead fiddled with her fingers for a bit, an embarrassed look on her face. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I just kinda... Lost my head there".

"I will agree with that conclusion," Flora mused. "Anyway, to return to the subject, how has Sky been lately?"

"Well, he's..." Bloom began. "He has... Been at Red Fountain I think".

"And how many of these calls has he made?" Flora asked.

"A couple over the last week or so," Bloom responded. "Why?"

"Well, from what you're telling me, every time Sky has been trying to talk with you lately, you have told him about stuff he probably does not care about while never taking the time to find out what he wanted to talk with you about in the first place," Flora summarised.

"Well... He did say something about... Maybe he and I could walk his dog again," Bloom slowly said.

"And you replied with?" Flora continued.

"Well... I said maybe... Because I wanted to... Talk about something Avalon brought up..." Bloom slowly admitted, before defensively adding: "But still, he was being a complete jerk about it".

"I am not saying that Sky is completely in the right," Flora added. "But what I want you to think about is that maybe Sky is not being a jerk just to be a jerk. He should have said something to you about how he feels. But not everybody is good at that, Bloom. That does not make him a villain. That just makes him flawed". After a short pause, she added: "How about we go visit him tomorrow? Me and some of the other girls can come along and make a trip out of it".

"I don't know," Bloom mumbled, fiddling with her fingers. "It might get kinda awkward".

"I guess is might. But the question is, do you want to patch things up with him?" the brunette asked seriously.

"Yes, I'd rather that we got over this," Bloom sighed. "I should probably apologise for not caring about what he had to say while wanting him to care about everything I said".

"That would be the mature thing to do. Hopefully, Sky will be just as mature," Flora noted as she picked up her book again.

...

A new day had come. The sun was shining, the remaining birds were singing and the landscape was coloured with all the beauty of autumn. Despite this picturesque scenery, Sky was not happy. In fact, he was grumpy, still sore over what had happened the preceding day and he wanted nothing more than to be left alone to brood in peace, as he stood by the balcony of his team's barracks. Which of course meant that Brandon was on him like butter on bread.

"So what happened yesterday?" the squire asked as he trained his arms with some weight lifting.

"Nothing," Sky grumpily responded.

"Really? Nothing happened" Brandon echoed. "That must have been quite some nothing the way you yelled at the guys in the tech department. You know, Timmy was there and he says you told those poor nerds some very horrible things about where your phone was going if they didn't fix the elevator".

"Hey, I apologised afterwards," Sky insisted defensively. "I just... I just had a bad phone call and the tech department put me on hold for twenty minutes, making me late for training, which meant I would have to spend extra time after training in order to catch up".

"And that would mean less free time. I know man, it sucks," Brandon said understandingly. "Still, not our tech department's fault".

"I know," Sky said. "But I did apologise".

"Yeah, Timmy also told me that," Brandon said. "Which brings me to the actual point of interest. That being your phone call. Sky, what happened to turn you into such a grouch?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Sky sighed annoyed.

The brunette squire rolled his eyes and started counting to five on his fingers.

"You see, I tried calling Bloom," Sky began, while behind him, his squire folded his arms in a way that signalled 'called it'. "And it did not... Go well".

"Because?" Brandon egged the blond on.  
>"Well... Because every time I've tried talking to her lately, she's been flooding me with all these things about royal studies and traditions and how amazing Avalon is," Sky angrily ranted. "She hasn't cared one bit about what I've had to say, she just wanted me to just sit there and listen to her ramble on about royal traditions and whatnot".<p>

"And did you tell her that in a mature and rational way?" Brandon asked.

Sky tensed a bit. "I... Might have... Snapped a bit at her," he admitted.

"Right. Because that always leads to fruitful discussions and discourse," the brunette said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"I know," the blond prince sighed, slumping over the balcony's railing. "I want to apologise but... She'd probably prefer that I never speak to her again".

"Oh, I don't know about that," Brandon said enigmatically. "Because a little blonde bird told me that Bloom is coming over today".

"She is?" Sky asked in a mixture of surprise and panic, and turned around. "What... When?"

"They should be on their way right now," Brandon said. "Well, not all of them. Stella and Musa didn't have the time today. But yes, Bloom, Techna and Flora are coming to visit". Then with exaggerated enthusiasm, he added: "Coming to visit you".

"Oh no, oh no," Sky muttered. "What do I do? What do I do?"

"You could apologise for being a dick," Brandon suggested conversationally. "Would probably be a good ice breaker".

"Not helping," Sky grumbled. "How do I... I... What is that?"

In the distance, a swarm of creatures were advancing towards Red Fountain, led by a flying black orb with long tentacles.

"That's trouble," Brandon muttered and hit the button on the room's intercom. "Brandon Hauser of B-5 here. Unidentified creatures advancing en masse towards Red Fountain".

Meanwhile, in the shadow of the military academy, Bloom, Flora and Techna were walking towards the point where the academy's teleportation beam would bring them in.

"So, what do I say?" Bloom asked. She had started out quite eager, but as they had slowly gotten closer to Red Fountain, she had become more and more apprehensive.

"Just apologise for being a bitch," Techna suggested helpfully. "That's what I normally do whenever I've fucked up".

"I don't think I've been a bitch," Bloom muttered.

"What Techna means is that you should apologise for being rude," Flora translated. "Hopefully, Sky will too and then we can resolve this in a peaceful and productive manner".

"Yeah, by the way, what is that?" Techna asked and pointed at the hordes of forsaken.

In the distance, explosions rang out as the advancing hordes of forsaken began to be bombarded with artillery from Red Fountain.

"That's Darkar's creatures," Bloom gasped. "Oh no, what do we do?"

"We have to quickly get inside Red Fountain," Flora ordered as the three girls broke into a run. "We will be much safer inside". They charged up to the point directly beneath the school and disappeared in a flash, re-materialising in a room in the bottom of the school.

"Good, you made it," a soldier said as he looked up from a control panel. "Alfea?"

"Yep," Techna responded.

"Can we speak with one of the staff?" Flora asked, as explosions echoed in the distance.

"The closest would be Cordatorta. He's in the command room by the hangars," the soldier instructed them. "Though unless it is absolutely necesarry, don't disturb him. He's coordinating our air forces".

"Ay-ay," Techna said as the three hurried out of the room.

Red Fountain was buzzing with activity as a warning klaxon rang out and people hurried to their stations. The girls quickly made their way to the hangar command room, where Cordatorta was busy barking orders into a microphone. He acknowledged them with a nod and the three sat down in the back so as to not get in the way. The dragonmaster immediately got back to ordering: "Get those owls in the air and take out the big creatures. I think they might be carrying infantry. Dragonriders, flank the enemy air forces. Use hit-and-run tactics until we can gauge their capabilities".

"All defences are online and firing. Enemy forces are taking losses," one of the operators in the room reported.

"Belisma reports that the big round creature has electromagnetic capabilities. Our missiles lose guidance whenever they get close to it," Timmy, who was also working in the room, reported. "She says we'll have to rely on our cannons and guns".

"Knut and Xanti have their squads in position," another reported.

"Electromagnetic interference is also messing with many of our sensors. We're relying almost exclusively on cameras and incoming reports at this point," another said.

"Dragonriders are engaging. Enemy is taking loses," yet another reported. "The majority of the enemy lacks ballistic capabilities".

"Owls are fired up and going in the air," came another report. "Engaging in five".

Outside, the forces of Darkar and Red Fountain collided in mid-air battle. The hordes of flying forsaken had the advantage of numbers and mindless obedience. The Red Fountain forces had the advantage of technology, tactics and guns, which tore the undead creatures apart. Kerborg, in the shape of a long extinct creature, used its new powers to blast the airborne soldiers with blasts of lightning. Big flying creatures, resembling the rotting husks of whales, advanced on the school. Many were blown apart before even getting close, but others tackled the school and began disgorging hordes of footsoldiers, whom engaged the defenders of the school.

"C-5's owl has gone down. Navigator Carl dead on impact," Timmy reported.

"Defenders have engaged enemy troops near the cafeteria. Few loses on our end so far," another reported. "Enemy casualties are staggering".

"Dragonriders! Take care of the big lightning thing," Cordatorta bellowed. "Watch out. Its blasts are powerful enough to knock an owl out of the sky".

"Enemies engaged on the grounds and near training hall five," came a report.

"Belisma and her group are being besieged at defence control. They're handling it, but requesting reinforcements," Timmy reported.

"Report a negative from here. All our forces are out there keeping the fliers away from the school," Cordatorta reported.

"Negatives from other sectors as well," another reported. "Reserves are being sent out to reinforce all combat zones".  
>In the midst of the attack, above the sounds of gunfire, explosions and the clashing of soldiers, Icy, Stormy and Darcy slowly glided in inside a miniaturised version of the forsaken transporter.<p>

"I can't wait for my diary entry today," Stormy muttered grumpily. "Dear diary, today I rode in an undead whale made of innocent lizard people in order to secure a wooden block for my boss, who thinks he's a cartoon super-villain".

"Our lives have indeed become a bit... Absurd," Darcy admitted. "But we must make the best of it. And right now, that involves doing what Darkar says".

"You two are way too bothered about this," Icy commented. "Alright, looks like we're landing".

The transporter opened its maw and the three witches exited out onto the edge of the arena.  
>"Follow me, I know the way," Darcy said and moved through the rows of seats.<p>

Back in the control room, Timmy reported: "Enemy is taking considerable loses, but is showing no sign of retreating. Hangars five and seven have been attacked. The enemy forces are being contained and no ground has been lost".

"I don't like this," Cordatorta muttered. "Why send your troops into the meat grinder like this. It's not even a proper display of power".

"Cordatorta, C-4 just ran across D-8 on their way to reinforce hangar five. All members have either been killed or severely injured," Timmy reported. "Signs of an ambush. Looks like whomever is responsible is heading for the vault".

"Dammit!" Cordatorta swore and smashed his fist into the metal table, denting it. "Have the guards at the vault reinforced, now!"

"We're getting negatives from all over. Everybody's tied up engaging the fiends," another reported. "Wait, B-5 is responding. They're not currently engaged".

"That might not be enough," Cordatorta replied. "Isn't there anybody else?"

"Negative," came the reply. "Saladin was going to reinforce along with E-3, but they were stopped by a group of invaders".

"We can go help them," Bloom offered.

Cordatorta eyed them for a moment. "Saladin, some fairies from Alfea are offering to assist in the protection of the vault," he said into his earpiece. After a moment's silence, he said: "Alright, you have been permitted to assist them. Timmy, get them to the vault".

"Yes, sir," Timmy reported and got up from his console, another soldier immediately taking his seat to continue the reports.

The girls quickly followed Timmy down the halls, the sounds of fighting echoing through the academy. Moments later, they ran into Sky, Riven and Brandon.

"Oh, Bloom," Sky said surprised. "You're here".

"Yes. Yes, I am," Bloom said stiffly. They shuffled their feet for a moment.

"Alright, we got a battle going on, so can you two feuding lovebirds get your act together and be all awkward and shit once we're done fighting?" Riven asked impatiently.

"I agree with the asshole," Techna said. "We're mondo busy".  
>"Right, let's get going," Brandon said and lead the way.<p>

Meanwhile, inside the vault, one of the guards screamed as a blast of lightning flung him across the room.

"That settles that," Darcy said as she re-sheathed her daggers and surveyed the room. Five soldiers had been guarding the room, all of them now either dead or too beaten up to fight.

"Was that really necessary?" Stormy asked, eyeing a soldier whose head had been crushed by an oversized ice cube.

"He shot part of my ear off," Icy replied angrily, pointing to the bleeding wound on the side of her head. "He should be happy that I made it quick".

"Alright, let's save the arguing for later," Darcy said and eyed the statue of the scales. One end was weighed down with a big red rock. "Now, Saladin seemed mighty protective of this last time, so I figure this is the key".

"You think the Codex is beneath it?" Stormy asked. When Darcy nodded in response, she said: "Alright, time to use the universal key". Electricity charged in her hands and she blasted the statue with a concentrated bolt of lightning. Which was immediately reflected back at her, flinging her across the room and into a sofa.

"Good thing you're trained in absorbing lightning," Darcy mused.  
>"Still... Hurts..." Stormy wheezed from the broken sofa.<p>

"Now that we have confirmed that brute force is not an option, let's see what we have to work with," Darcy said as she investigated the statue. "Aha. A button". She pressed it and a compartment in the statue opened up, presenting them an array of objects. A big rock, a crystal, a statue of a noble knight, a scroll, a sword and a feather.

"The Abyss does that have to do with anything?" Icy asked.

"I think that it is a riddle," Darcy responded.

"So they want us to balance the scale, eh?" Icy mused. "Well, we can do that".

"The rock that's already on the scale looks kinda heavy," Stormy said as she joined up with them, rubbing her sore back. "So maybe the rock goes there".

"Would be too simple an answer," Darcy said. "Hmm, I suggest that the red stone represents Red Fountain itself. So we gotta find what is equal to it".

"Maybe the feather then," Icy suggested.

"Again, too obvious. Neither the feather nor the rock holds any meaning," Darcy continued. "And Saladin is nothing if not a romantic. He has a lot invested in the academy and thinks highly of it. That is the key to the riddle. But which object is it?"

"The sword," Stormy suggested. "It is a place for soldiers".

"Hmm, maybe. It's not the crystal," Darcy added. "Saladin may be a warlock, but magic is not that important to Red Fountain".

"So what's on this?" Icy questioned nobody and opened the scroll. "Huh, a battle plan. Tactics. Now that's something Red Fountain is all about".

"What about the statue of this knight guy?" Stormy asked. "Isn't Saladin all about the noble ideals of warriors?"

"Oh yes. I remember his speeches," Icy grumbled. "Honour, morale, valour, blah, blah, blah. Repeat ad nausea".

"Yes, that is exactly what Saladin is all about," Darcy said and picked up the statue. "Well then, I shall now place the statue and reveal the Codex. I am sure Darkar will be most pleased".

"Oh no you don't," Icy snapped and ripped the statue from her. "You always act like you're the leader. I'll place the statue". With a snort, she did so. The scales balanced out and with a rumble, the whole thing moved, revealing a stairway.

"I didn't think you cared about Darkar's approval," Stormy said to Darcy.

"I don't," the dirty-blond frankly admitted. "I just wasn't entirely sure the answer was right".

"Wait... You used me as bait?" Icy asked angrily.

"Hey, you're the leader, right?" Darcy asked with a smug smile. "That sometimes means taking the biggest risks".

"Oh shut up and get down there," the white-haired witch venomously retorted.

The three walked down the stairs, leading to a small room, with a block of wood inscribed with mysterious symbols placed behind a piece of glass in the wall.

"I'd guess that's the piece of the Codex," Stormy said.

"Gee, you think?" Icy asked. She walked up to it and placed a hand on the glass. "Now, let's get ouARRRGH!" Suddenly and with a surprising amount of force, Icy was hurled back.

"You will not lay a hand on the Codex, you fiends," Athena menacingly warned them as she faded into view.

"Cute. A pixie," Darcy commented flatly.

"Wrong. A corpse," Icy snarled from her position on the floor and hurled an icicle at the pixie.

Athena danced out of the way and responded with a ball of pure force. The white-haired witch rolled out of the way as a small crater was knocked into the floor.

Stormy let a blast of lightning loose, but the pixie teleported out of the way and sent a ball of force at the witch, knocking the air out of her as it collided with her midsection.

"This is taking too long. We risk reinforcements coming any second," Darcy stated and concentrated. The entire room was filled with darkness.

"Stop hiding and fight, you cowards!" Athena called.  
>From somewhere in the dark, she could hear glass shattering and she fired several balls of force in the general direction. "Where are you?!" the diminutive being called out angrily.<p>

"We're out of here," Stormy called as the witches ran up the stairs, Darcy carrying the piece of the Codex in her hand.

They stopped at the top, Sky, Brandon, Timmy, Riven, Bloom, Techna and Flora standing in their way. Behind the witches, Athena flew out of the hidden room, saying: "I'm not done with you yet, you despicable wenches".

"Great. You three again," Bloom sighed.

"Yes, us. But unfortunately for you, your precious paladin is not here to save you," Icy said with malicious glee as an icicle formed in her hands.

"Yeah, but we know your new powers now," Techna said and twirled her pipe.

"Alright, as soldiers of Red Fountain, we hereby place you under arrest for breaking and entering, engaging soldiers in hostile combat and theft," Timmy ordered, aiming the assault rifle he was carrying. "Do you stand down?"

Stormy's response was a bolt of lightning, which the bespectacled nerd barely dodged, the bolt instead knocking Brandon out of the fight.

Sky and Riven charged, blades ready. Icy concentrated and Riven momentarily stopped as his thoughts fogged over. It wasn't enough to stop him completely, but Icy didn't have the time for that, what with being busy blocking Sky's sword with an ice-covered arm.

Meanwhile, Timmy started firing at Stormy and Darcy, who took cover behind a pillar. When he reloaded, Maria popped out, hand outstretched to fire a bolt of lightning, only for her thumb to be broken when Techna whacked her hand away with her pipe. As Stormy yelled and cursed, Darcy popped out of the wall by Timmy and lashed out with her dagger, knocking the rifle out of his hands and scratching his one arm at the same time. However, she was immediately knocked back as Flora tackled her shoulder first, knocking her breathless to the ground where she immediately melted into the floor.

Icy hurled a block of ice at Sky, which knocked him back, just as Riven was on her again. She jumped back and got ready to freeze his heart over, when she was knocked to the side by a force projectile from Athena.

Stormy dodged as one of Bloom's fireballs exploded near her. She concentrated while Techna ran towards her, ready to bash her with a pipe, and a powerful wind flung a big vase through the room. The projectile blindsided the scarred girl and knocked her off balance, the shattering fragments cutting rifts in her face, which wasn't helped by Stormy hitting her with another powerful blast of wind and sending her tumbling down the stairs to where the Codex piece had been stored. Then Maria had to dodge as another projectile from Bloom almost hit her, the detonating fireball singing her clothes and skin.

Meanwhile, Darcy phased into the wall again to avoid being hit by Flora's various seeds. She popped out of a wall, but the brunette was quick and flung seeds that exploded into big cloud of pollen. Darcy gagged as the sweet smelling powder clogged her nose and throat. Then she gasped as Flora's fist hit her, almost dislocating her jaw and definitely knocking at least one tooth out. Darcy fell to the ground and melted into the shadows, noting that this at least removed the pain and pollen.

Riven swung his sabre again, trying to hit Icy, but she blocked the attack again. As they struggled against each other, Icy stomped her feet and froze the ground Riven stood on. When he tried to move, he slipped and fell on his stomach and smacked his jaw into the floor. Sky immediately jumped in to assist his friend, while Athena kept trying to hit the white-haired witch with her force balls.

Darcy popped out of the shadows again, and Flora hurled another handful of seeds. However, this time Darcy was prepared and flung one of her daggers, which penetrated Flora's shoulder. The brunette gasped and stumbled, giving Darcy the initiative. She leapt forward and plunged the other dagger into her leg, before pulling both her weapons out, letting the brunette tumble back as the venom coating Darcy's dagger took hold. The dirty-blond turned and eyed the situation, trying to figure out where she could be most useful. She aimed and flung her dagger again.

Bloom screamed in pain as the metal dug into the back of her leg. Stormy reacted quickly, jumping out from cover and blasted the redhead with a bolt of lightning. Bloom was flung through the air, before colliding with a bookshelf, which tipped over and buried the redhead beneath an avalanche of books.

"Handle Riven. I'll help Icy take care of the pixie," Darcy ordered.

"Gotcha," Stormy said and charged Riven, who was struggling to get off the slippery floor. He was almost completely standing up when he noticed Stormy running towards him. Instinctively, he tried to dodge, but instead lost his footing again, landing on his back. Stormy took the opportunity and pounded her fist into his midsection, before letting a torrent of electricity loose. Riven briefly screamed before blacking out.

In the other end of the room, both Sky and Athena were wailing at Icy, who had completely sealed herself in a block of ice.

"Come out and fight you spineless cur," Athena snarled. Then she was suddenly enveloped in a globe of darkness. Icy saw an opportunity and shattered her cocoon, sending big fragments of ice in every direction. Sky was knocked back and Athena, blinded by the surrounding shadows, was smashed out of the sky, her battered body crashing to the ground.

"Is that all you got?" Sky groaned provocatively as he readied his sword and shield again.

"Not. At. ALL!" Icy roared and charged the prince. Ice grew on her fists as she hammered them against Sky, who blocked with both sword and shield. With a victorious grin, Icy lashed out with her foot, which collided with the Eraklian prince's midsection. Sky gasped as an icicle grew from it. Shaking, he looked down at his stomach. As he slowly moved, he could feel his spine scratching against the other end of the icicle, which was poking out of his back. With a smile, Icy retracted the ice, allowing the blond's vital fluids to flow freely from his grievous wound. With a groan, he sank to the ground, trying to keep his organs in place. Icy raised a hand to finish him off.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Timmy yelled.

The witches turned and saw that both Timmy and Techna had gotten up again. The magenta-haired girl was bleeding from her face and bruised from her fall, but now she was holding the rifle Timmy had droppes before. The bespectacled warrior himself was using his only functional arm to hold a sub-machine gun.

"Ah, how cute. You really think you stand a chance?" Icy asked mockingly.

"Darcy... Can we talk?" Timmy asked.

"What... No," Icy hissed. "No talking".

"Actually, I'm curious," Darcy said. "So, what do you want?"

"A deal," Timmy suggested. "We can't beat you, but with these weapons, we sure can hurt you. Heck, we might even kill one of you before we die or delay you until reinforcement arrives. But that would be kinda pointless. So here's my proposal. We stand down and let you go, in exchange for our and our friends' safety".

"Don't," Icy said warningly to Darcy. "We have a chance to finish them off now. You know they're just going to keep getting in the way".

"Yes, but I don't exactly fancy my chances against bullets. They are hard to dodge," Darcy noted. "You were lucky before, remember. A little to the right and he would have blown your brain out. In fact, we were also pretty fortunate when Timmy here opened fire on us. So I for one accept. If you don't, that's your choice. But I am not helping you fight".

"Me neither," Stormy said.  
>"Hmph, fine. Have it your way," Icy grumbled. "But you know as well as I they will come back to be a nuisance later. We ought to finish them off now".<p>

"Huh, means Darkar was right," Stormy noted a bit surprised. "That's actually pretty scary".

"Okay, deal, we're leaving," Darcy said.

Timmy and Techna nodded and moved out of the way, allowing the battered witches to exit. The moment they were out, Timmy said into his earpiece: "Team B-5 here. We need immediate medical assistance. Sky is critically wounded and will die within the next few minutes. Also, objective failed. They got what they came for".

"Fuck," Techna muttered angrily as she let the gun drop to the floor and reinforcement burst into the room. "Just... Fuck".


	11. Homesick

Chapter 11: Homesick

With a groan, Sky slowly opened his eyes a bit, letting the painful light of the room flood his retinas. It was a good pain. It told him he was alive. Slowly, he registered the sensation of lying in a bed. Probably a hospital one, given that he was still alive. He shifted himself around a little, trying to get comfortable, but every movement caused his stomach to protest. Which did not come as a big surprise, given that he had been impaled on a rather large icicle. An uncomfortable experience to say the least. Still, at least he had a stomach again.

The blond opened his eyes fully and took in the sight around him. He was definitely in the hospital wing of Red Fountain.

"Hey," came Brandon's voice, which caused the Eraklian prince to look to the side. Indeed, his squire was sitting on a chair besides him. "You got messed up pretty bad back there".

"You don't say," Sky weakly chuckled, before emitting a pained coughing. "Dragon's ass, it still hurts".

"Yeah, I can imagine," Brandon said. "Sorry I couldn't help you, man. Was kinda busy twitching on the floor".

"Well, guess not even you can dodge lightning," Sky said. "So, what happened?"

"Well, after Icy turned you into the world's most royal popsicle, Timmy struck a deal with Darcy," Brandon explained. "The witches could go without trouble, in return for our safety".

"Which means they got away with that wooden thingamajig," Sky stated. "Sucks. So, how badly was I damaged?"

"Well, several of your intestines were simply ripped apart," Brandon began explaining. "And the doctor mentioned severe damage to both your spleen and pancreas. But that's about as much as I can give you. Not like they gave me a full medical report afterwards".

"I see," Sky noted. "She got me good, that Icy witch".

"Yep," came Brandon's response. "Anyway, the rest of us were easy to fix up, just some bruises, small wounds, burns and sprains. Although Techna insisted on keeping one wound as a scar. Crazy girl is apparently collecting them".

"Glad to hear everyone's okay," Sky said. "I really wish I was a magi right about now. Then I would slowly fix myself with my own power instead of having to lie here and wait for a doctor to check up on me to make sure they put my stomach properly back together".

"Well, you're not," Brandon said. "So this will be your new home for... Well, for however long this will take".

"Not helping," the Eraklian prince grumbled.

"No. No I'm not," Brandon said teasingly as he got up from his chair. "But maybe this will". He cleared his throat and called: "'Ey, Bloom. Blondie's up and running again". Then he turned to Sky with a smile and added: "Have fun," before sauntering out of the hospital wing.

"Why haven't I ordered him to stomp on his own foot yet?" Sky mumbled to himself, as the Dominian princess shuffled over to him.

"Hey," she started.

"Hey," Sky responded.

"So, how are you feeling?" Bloom asked, not looking him in the eyes.

"As well as I can, given the whole impalement thing," Sky replied, also averting his gaze. After a moment, he said: "So this is the part where we, to quote Riven, are being all awkward and shit".

"Yeah," Bloom said, rubbing her neck.

The blond prince sighed and said: "Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you across the phone and insinuating that you had a relationship with a teacher. I got frustrated and took that out on you. It wasn't fair. I should just have told you how I felt. You know, 'like an adult' instead of throwing a temper tantrum". After a moment, he mused: "Guess this means you should feel free to send me one of those teddy bears you mentioned".

"I'm sorry too," Bloom added. "I should have taken the time to listen to what you had to say, rather than just prattle on about things you don't care about". After a moment, she added the question: "Do you hate being a royal?"

"Some people suspect that. But to be honest, no, I don't," Sky responded. "But I do think a lot of it is unnecessary. All those rituals, expectations and all that load of unnecessary crap just weights the whole thing down. For example, if I've sent a flower, then I haven't made a political comment about my interest in wedding the recipient's daughter. I've sent a flower, that's all".

"Yeah, it is kinda silly," Bloom agreed. "Still, have to know it".

"I already know it," Sky groaned. "I've been trained and drilled in this stuff since I was a kid".

"Ah. I can see why you may be... Less than fond of the subject," the redhead realised while fiddling with her fingers. After a short pause, she asked: "Sooo... Still up for that trip with Lady you talked about?"

"As soon as my intestines are working properly again, sure," Sky confirmed with a smile.

"Great. Then I should probably get back to Alfea," Bloom said with a smile as she got up. "Take care".

"You too," the blond responded.

Outside the hospital room, Flora and Techna were both waiting.

"Well?" the magenta-haired girl asked. She was now sporting an extra scar on the side of her face. "How's he holding up?"

"Well, he's alive and coherent," Bloom replied. "Said his stomach hurts, but that doesn't really surprise me".

"Unfortunately, he will be out of commission for a couple of days at least," Flora noted. "But at least he will live. The same cannot be said of every Red Fountain soldier that fought with the enemy".

"Those three," Bloom grumbled. "It's like... I just don't get why people have to die all the time".

"I've asked myself the very same question," a soft voice noted and the girls turned to see Helia walk up to them, his artistic equipment under his arm. "I don't like the idea of dying, nor of inflicting that fate upon others. So I leave it to those who are comfortable with it".

"Can't blame you," Bloom sighed while looking out the window. "But it seems like we keep getting dragged into these kinds of things".

"So, what are you doing around here?" Techna curiously asked the black-haired artist.

"I've lost a lot of associates lately," Helia said as he glanced at the door to the hospital wing. "Some friends, even. I just wanted to come by and see to those who've managed to live another day. Maybe make a painting or two for them. You'd be surprised how much that can help with these kinds of situations".

"Maybe I should do that too," Bloom pondered.

"You're an artist?" Helia asked.

"Well, I do sketching," Bloom explained. "Though I have kinda neglected my hobby lately. Been so busy with everything".

"Then could I come by and see your work at some point?" Helia eagerly asked. "I don't have too many people to share anything but the results of my work with. Being able to actually discuss techniques and such would be refreshing".

"Sure," Bloom replied with a shrug. "Maybe we could do a collab or something?"

"It would be a pleasure," Helia said with a nod. He noticed Flora and said: "Ah, I remember you. Flora was it? I painted you and your girlfriend, if memory serves".

"That would be correct," Flora replied. "I was very happy with the result. We had it copied so we could both hang it up in our respective rooms".

"I'm happy to hear that my work is so appreciated," Helia said earnestly. "Now then, you must excuse me. I'll see if my services are needed". Then the painter continued into the hospital wing.

"He's odd," Techna commented. "I like him".

"He's sweet," Bloom said. "Now, what should we do a collab on?"

"Maybe some naked models," Techna suggested as innocently as she could. "I'm sure you could get Sky to drop his pants with a little convincing".

Bloom's cheeks started to become the colour of her hair, as she stiffly replied: "I doubt Helia would like that".

"But you would?" Techna asked with a grin.

"Shouldn't we get back to Alfea?" Bloom asked, evading the question with all the subtlety of an uncontrolled demolition.

"Sounds like a good idea," Flora agreed.

...

The day after, normalcy returned to Bloom's life, although she was starting to suspect that normalcy would forever be a fleeting concept in her life. It was with these somewhat philosophical thoughts that she sat in class waiting for Palladium to show up.

Five minutes late, the elf showed up with a: "So sorry about that. Took a little longer than expected to get these". 'These' were an armful of big, solid-looking iron padlocks, which the elf hurried to place on the table. They were also rather useless padlocks, what with them having no keyholes. "Today, we will train your first general spell," he started. "A rather simple spell of manipulation. Fun fact, the invention of this spell caused the sale of warded locks to skyrocket. But I should probably get back to explaining the lesson," he briefly mused. "The spell of manipulation is simple... Well, relatively simple. It still requires much training. It allows you to get a feel for an object and gently manipulate it. No breaking it in half or flinging it across the room. But before we get started with the manipulating, let's start by talking about how to cast general spells". He cleared his throat, hoping nobody noted the awkwardness of the prior sentence. "General spells draw purely on your store of magical energy and do not rely on your knack. Therefore, they are usually very hard to cast. I say usually, because general spells that are linked to your knack are easier to get a feel for and so for some of you, the spells we will train will come very natural to you. Now, mostly it's all about the mental strength and willpower. Oh, and of course the expenditure of your stored energy. However, some people find the need for certain props in order to force themselves into a proper mindset. When I started out, I often shouted the spell's name. Helped me visualize what I wanted and focus my will. Unfortunately, due to the language of Harmony, I would sometimes misspeak, which would derail my thoughts. And surprisingly often summon a very displeased cat". The comment caused several students to laugh. "Anyway, some use clothes or props like wands or staffs. And let me make this perfectly clear. There is no shame in using such aids. There are certain people who think that magi who require a little extra for their general spells are weak. Such bullying will not be tolerated. If you need the extra help, you take it and use it. But for now, let us start by seeing how you all do when casting the spell on your own. Here, I'll pass out copies with the notes you will need on it". Palladium picked up a stack of paper and made his round in the class, giving a piece to each student.

Bloom studied the piece she had received. It featured very detailed instructions on focusing and imagining, illustrations of the workings of the lock, suggested words to be shouted, ways to make improvised wands and so on. At first, Bloom found it to be a bit too detailed, but then she figured it was probably to ease her into the right mindset. When Palladium placed one of the padlocks on her table, she focused on it, remembering the drawings and visualising the inner workings. She could feel the strange sense of her magic flowing, slowly seeping out to touch the object. The image in her head was slowly replaced, as what she was imagining became what she could feel. It was a fuzzy image, unclear and vague, but it was there. The redhead furrowed her brows and tried to will the mechanisms to move. It was hard, like if she had tried to push the entire school by hand. She focused her magic even more, trying to force her will into it. With a gasp, she let it go and her magic dissipated. She took a short break, feeling drained and tired from the exertions.

Around her, her classmates had mixed success. Techna quickly grasped it, already having a feel for mechanics, but Flora sat in deep concentration without result. Musa barely managed and leaned back in her chair as she recovered, while Aisha tried to force herself to focus on unlocking the padlock herself, feeling frustrated that her efforts were constantly interrupted by distracting thoughts of calling a locksmith.

Bloom took a deep breath and tried again. As she struggled against the padlock, she mumbled to herself: "Unlock. Unlock. Unlock". She could feel the mechanisms slightly move, before she had to quit again.

"How are you feeling?" Palladium asked as he passed by her.

"Well, I got it to move a little bit," Bloom replied. "I think. It's kinda fuzzy".

"If you start to feel frustrated, take a break and focus on something else," Palladium advised her. "Otherwise, your frustration with the task at hand will constantly trip up your attempts to do anything about it. Also, if you want to try with some help, I've got some spare wands in the closet".

"Thanks, but no thanks," Bloom replied. "I think I'll just try to take a break for now".

...

"I'm pretty sure I got it at least half the way," Bloom insisted after class.

"Then you did better than me," Flora noted. "I do not think I managed to move it at all. I suspect it is because I am used to working with plants rather than mechanisms".

"Why would that make a difference?" Bloom asked. "I mean, I normally use fire, for example":

"How to explain it?" Flora pondered. "You see, the procedure of stretching out your magic to manipulate a physical object is something that comes intuitively to me when working with plants. But for this exercise, I have to detach myself from my usual method in order to work with this new medium".

"Yeah. I mean, it was easy for me," Techna added. "But sooner or later, we'll probably work with something that'll have me utterly stumped".

"Makes sense I guess. By the way, can we walk by Avalon's office?" Bloom asked. "I need to ask him some questions".

Her friends uttered various variations of yes. They turned at the next corner, ascended a flight of stairs and made their way to the office.

"I'll be back in a second," Bloom said and knocked on the door.

"Come in," she heard the paladin's voice and the redhead entered.

A strange smell filled the teacher's office and Bloom could see Avalon himself busy with a bubbling green mixture in a glass placed over a Bunsen burner. "Hello there, Bloom," he greeted her, not taking his eyes off the mixture. "How can I help you?"

"I just wanted to ask when the next royal studies are," Bloom started. "Also, what are you doing, professor?"

"Well, first of all, I don't know when we can have more royal studies. My schedule is kinda hectic at the moment," the paladin admitted. "Secondly, I've gotten orders back from HQ. I've been asked to run some experiments and report the results".

"Don't they have a lab for that?" Bloom asked puzzled.

"Sure, but they lack people to run it," Avalon explained. "Most capable paladins are sent out to right wrongs and such. Those not on active duties, like me, are then often given less dramatic jobs, like testing new alchemical formulas".

"Oh. I guess that makes sense," the redhead said. "Hey, I just remembered another thing. We've started to learn about general spells and I wanted to know if there are general spells for healing?"

"There is," Avalon confirmed. "Why the interest?"

"Well, after what happened at Red Fountain... Honestly, after everything that has happened, I kinda wanted to make myself more useful," Bloom admitted. "And I though healing spells might help with that".

"A noble goal," Avalon said with a warm smile and looked up from the project. "It's initiative like that which will make you a great leader and a great fairy. I got a couple of books over on that shelf. You just pick one of those for beginners".

Bloom nodded happily and went over to the bookshelf Avalon had pointed out. On it was various books on magical techniques, but one in particular caught Bloom's attention. It was called 'Healing Spells for Beginners', had a green cover with a floral motif and unlike the other books, it hadn't been sorted but instead just lay on top of the other books. The royal redhead put it in her backpack and left the office with a: "See you later, professor".

"Have a good day," he told her as she left, his attention still on the mixture.

Outside, she was quite surprised to see Helia chatting with the other girls.

"...and Cordatorta just said 'Well, if you don't find him in the next three minutes, you'll have to go without him'," Helia explained with a very accurate imitation of the dragonhandler's voice. "My grandfather never thought to look inside the closet Cordatorta was leaning against".

Techna laughed loudly, before adding: "Geez, never thought Saladin could be like that".

"My grandfather means well," Helia said with a shrug. "He's just so enveloped in the world of heroic valour, courage and such that he has a hard time comprehending that others couldn't be interested. Still thinks I'm going through a phase".

"Well, nobody's flawless," Musa said. "Oh, hello there Bloom. How did it go?"

"He's busy for the time being," Bloom responded. "So, what brings you to Alfea, Helia?"

"You, actually," Helia said. "I was wondering if I could take a look at your sketches?" After a moment, he turned to Flora and added. "Actually, there was another reason. I usually paint things that stand still, but have recently been trying to capture things in motion. Specifically, people in motion. I think it would add a lot to my artistry if I could capture something being dynamic. I was looking over my recent pictures and thought Mirta might make a good subject".

"Hmm, that does sound like an interesting addition to your skill set," Flora said. "Also, Mirta is trained in ballet, usually partnering with her best friend Lucy from Cloud Tower".

"Excellent. As a ballerina, she would know how to use her body. It will allow me to train with a wide array of human motions," Helia said eagerly.

"Well, Flowergirl here sure was eager to study all of Pumpkin's motions," Techna commented. "So I think you might also get some fun out of it".

"If you are trying to fluster me, you have to realise you will fail," Flora commented.

"I know that," Techna said with a smirk, like a cat that had just gotten away with eating the goldfish. "But if you take a look at the others, you'd notice that everyone else here is now thinking of you giving Mirta a roll in the hay".

Flora cast a glance around and noted that Musa, Bloom and Helia were all busy trying to look everywhere else, the two latter ones with a notable blush. The brunette just sighed and shook her head.

...

Outside the school, the pixies Livy, Piff, Amore and Glim were playing a pixie ballgame, a stable called bomboozle ball. It was a fast-paced game of ball-throwing and flying, where two teams try to get their ball in the others' goal, which resembled plastic cups

On one team was Amore, a good improviser who was currently dressed in oversized hockey gear, not that it seemed to hinder her in the slightest, along with Livy, who was a fast flyer with poor aim.

On the other team was Glim, a slower player with an eye for exploitable weaknesses in her opponents' defences, and Piff, who was very energetic, but also completely unable to pace herself. Normally, there would be at least five pixies per team, but the pixies of Alfea were either busy or had little interest in the sport.

Tune acted as the judge, a stressful job, since the rules stipulated that spellcasting was an illegal move that would earn the opposing team free throws, the amount depending on how powerful the spell had been. Though in practice, only spellcasting that the judge managed to see was an illegal move.

Therefore. Tune tried to keep it a clean game, while all four players cheated at every opportunity, using small bursts of magic to get them ahead in the game. They had actually managed to gather a crowd of students for their little game, but classes had started again and now they were all alone outside.

"Go left. Pass ball," Glim explained to Piff.

"Right. Gotcha," the blonde pixie replied.

"Not right. Lefr," Glim insisted.

On the other side, Amore was also busy composing a strategy. "Alright, listen up," she said, now wearing a military uniform. "Piff is the weak point. We run her ragged, we get the goal. Your job will be to get the ball and drag her around the arena, while I keep Glim off you. If you see a chance for it, use some magic to get ahead".

"Yes, private," the pixie messenger responded.

"It's sir. Or general," Amore informed her.

"Oh, I always mess titles up," Livy sighed. "I accidentally referred to Griselda as generalissimo the other day. At least her students thought it was funny".

"Hmm, generalissimo Amore," the redhead pixie pondered. "I could work with that".

On the sideline, Tune kept a sharp eye on them all, promising herself that she would force the next who cheated to eat the ball whole. In the middle of trying to guess who would be the first to get the improvised ball-based dinner, she looked up and noticed something odd. Five green bubbles hovered in the air, lazily circling around each other. "Alright, who summoned those?!" Tune called to the other pixies.

The others looked up at the bubbles in question.

"Suspicious," Glim stated.

"Maybe they're friendly," Livy suggested.

Suddenly, one of the bubbles dive-bombed and smashed against Livy. The pixie tried to gasp as the green liquid was forced into her through several orifices, causing her to faint from the stress.

"Not friendly," Glim stated as the other bubbles started diving. "Scatter".

"Eek, eek, eek, eek, eek," Piff squeaked as she tried to fly away, before being enveloped in a bubble.

Tune tried standing her ground, blasting the approaching bubble with arcs of lightning. It didn't take and the bubble smashed against her. Glim didn't have any more luck with her blasts of light.

Amore was the last to go. She tried hiding behind a bush, hoping the bubble would splash against it harmlessly.

She was wrong.

...

Bloom slowly looked through the pages of the book she had been lent by Avalon. There were several illustrations and texts, though none as detailed as those Palladium had given her. In fact, they struck Bloom as kinda vague. They told her to reach into a living thing, to draw upon its vital energies and then reshape it. It was complete gibberish to the redhead. What exactly were a thing's vital energies and what was she supposed to reshape it into? She sighed, figuring that perhaps one lecture in general spellcasting didn't even qualify her as a beginner.

Still, she figured it was at least worth a try. She turned from the book and eyed a plant on the windowsill, a harmless, generic green piece of flora that Flora had given her to spice up the room a bit. Unfortunately, it had been neglected and was now a sickly looking thing.

Bloom concentrated and felt her magic stir and she reached out, touching the plant and tried to focus on its vital energy. She could feel the plant breathe, feel liquids move, feel it being alive. For a moment, she wondered if this was how Flora felt every time she cast a spell. She grabbed hold of the system and tried to reshape it, tried to will the plant to be healthier. However, as soon as she began, it was as if the plant began falling apart. Every time she did one thing to fix it, three other things broke down. She could feel her frustration grow as she tried to keep the plant alive. She didn't even care about improving its health anymore, she was going to settle for just maintaining it. With a frustrated grunt, she let go and the plant slumped over.

"Good thing I started with a plant," Bloom said a bit irritated. Her experiment was interrupted by a knock on her door. "Come in".

Stella opened the door and asked: "Hey, have you seen the pixies?"

"Last time I saw them, they went outside to play... Something," Bloom said with a shrug. "Why?"

"They haven't returned," Stella said a bit worried. "Come, we're tots going to go look for them". After a moment, the blonde asked: "So, shouldn't you have watered that thing, like, a bazillion years ago?"

Bloom eyed the plant and replied with a non-committed: "Probably".

...

Outside, the skies were darkening as the sun dipped below the horizon. The grass rustled as the pixies slowly rose from the ground. They were dizzy and sore. The potion had been forced in through their mouths, noses, ears, even pressed through their skin. It would have seemed quite excessive to anyone unfamiliar with pixie physiology. Because pixies, like all magi, were attuned to magic, even more than other races and so their bodies were extremely adapted to self-healing and repairs, easily fighting off poisons and such, even magical ones. But even their natural healing abilities could not fight off the overwhelming amount of alchemical sludge that had been forced into them.

Tune looked around, her eyes glazed over. She glanced towards the horizon, an ache blossoming in her heart. "Home," she moaned sadly, before setting off and slowly flying towards the horizon.

"Yes. Must go home," Amore agreed and flew off.

The other pixies followed, lured towards Pixie Village by an unexplainable desire to be home again.

...

Timmy tapped his pen against the table. He had been doing so for quite a while. And Brandon knew only two reasons for why somebody would tap a table with a pen for almost an hour. They were either worried or trying to make everybody else in the room go absolutely nuts. And given that Timmy wasn't the provocative type, the squire figured something was troubling his far-sighted friend. "Hey, Timmy. What's up?"

The bespectacled warrior sighed and replied. "I just can't stop thinking about yesterday".

"Rough day," Brandon sighed. "Too many empty chairs around here nowadays. Though I guess it wasn't even close to being as bad as last year's incident".

"I hear you," Timmy sighed. "Still, twice already we've been attacked this year. But that's not what I was thinking about". He took a moment to figure out how to say what he wanted. "Did I make the right call? By letting the witches go, I mean".

"I'd say so," Brandon replied. "Probably only reason we're still alive. Given our habit of getting in their way, I don't think Darcy would have minded if we got knocked six feet under".

"But it also meant letting them get away with their objective," Timmy pointed out.

"Right, but do you remember what Saladin said about it?" Brandon asked.

Timmy though back for a moment, before replying: "That Darkar needed all four pieces for it to be a problem?"

"Exactly," the brunette squire said with a nod. "It's not like when the witches got the dragonflame. Getting one of these tablet things is a victory for him, but it doesn't make him stronger or more dangerous. But us dying, now that would definitely have weakened our side".

"But maybe we could have held them off until reinforcement could have arrived," Timmy continued. "Or maybe we could have seriously injured them".

"Right, but the odds weren't really in our favour," Brandon replied. "Mull over it all you want, but I really do think you made the best possible call, given the situation".

Timmy thought about it for a second. "That does make sense," he finally said. "Thanks, Brandon. I guess I needed to hear that".

"Any time," the brunette replied with a smile.

...

"Well, here's their ball," Musa said as she picked up the discarded sports equipment. "So, where're the players?"

"A very good question," Flora added and began looking around. "No obvious signs of struggle. No signs of them leaving, either. That means they are probably flying".

"Right, but flying where?" Stella asked. "Where would they be going this time of night?"

"That direction," Techna said and pointed, while looking at what could only be described as the unholy offspring of a Gameboy and a steampunk cellphone.

The others stared.

"Right, so, explanation?" Musa requested.

"Tune was... Well, actually, they were all kinda worried about getting kidnapped again," Techna explained. "So I gave them some trackers they could keep on them".

"Well, that does make our task a lot easier," Flora stated. "Let us go and see what is up with them".

The fairies hurried off towards the forest, Stella illuminating their path. It didn't take them long to find the five pixies, who were slowly flying through the woods with a dazed look on their face.

"Hey, where are you five going?" Stella asked as they got close.

"Home," Piff replied in a tired voice. "We must go... Home".

"Pixie Village," Glim sleepily insisted.

"Pixie Village," they all mumbled in unison.

"Alright, I think I've once seen this in a super creepy movie," Techna added. "Don't let them bite you".

"What's wrong with you? If you go back to Pixie Village, Darkar will be able to find it," Bloom said. "Why do you want to go back?"

"Homesick," Tune said.

"Want to go home," Amore said.

"We want our home," they all said in creepy unison.

"Great. Didn't think pixies could stop being cute," Musa muttered.

"I do not think they are well at the moment," Flora said. "This sounds like more than just homesickness. They would not ordinarily risk their home just to get back to Pixie Village. It would not make sense".

"Alright, you five. How about we go back and get Ophelia or somebody to take a look at you?" Stella suggested.

"They don't want us to go home," Tune realised.

After a brief moment of realisation, Piff yelled: "SCATTER!" The pixies suddenly jetted off in different directions, their flight wobbly and unstable.

"Spread out!" Musa called and the fairies started their pursuit.

Techna jumped over a log, eyes on Tune. She withdrew something from her pocket and hurled it at the fleeing pixie. Moments later, the grey-haired pixie was enveloped in sticky pink stuff that forced her to the ground.

"What do you think?" Techna eagerly asked as she picked up the incapacitated pixie. "Made my own morphix grenade out of chewing gum".

"That is so rude," Tune complained and struggled against the sticky mass.

Bloom and Musa charged after Glim and Piff, the redhead faerie lighting the way with a small flame. "There she is," Bloom said and pointed.

"I'll disorient them, you grab them," the black-haired girl instructed, before launching a soundwave. The two pixies were hit and spun completely out of control, resulting in Glim faceplanted into a tree and Piff crashed into a bush.

The two fairies winced in sympathy.

Livy flew as fast as she could through the woods. She knew she just had to go home, no matter what. Then she rounded a corner and saw Amore all tied up in vines. Flora turned and eyed the pixie messenger.

"Not good," Livy said and turned around, only to see Stella come leaping out of the dark with a: "COME HERE, YOU...!" The two blondes crashed to the ground.

"Inelegant, but effective," Flora noted as Stella fought to keep her grip on the struggling and yelling pixie.

...

The girls successfully managed to force the pixies back to Alfea, though their diminutive prisoners made it a struggle, using every chance they could get to fling a spell or make a run for it. It was a tired bunch of girls that finally managed to contact the staff and have the pixies placed in a lock-up to prevent them for leaving. Not that the pixies were appreciative.

"Let us out".

"This is not a proper way to treat us".

"I want to go home".

"Bullies".

"FREEDOM!"

Not appreciative at all.

And so the girls were brought to Faragonda's office, where the headmistress had a late night snack consisting of tea and crackers brought up.

"So, they tried to go back home," Faragonda repeated after getting an explanation. "You made the right call, girls. I suspect our friends have been poisoned. I'll send somebody to wake up Palladium and get him to look at it, see if he can come up with an antidote".

"So, can we assume it was Darkar, out for whatever is in Pixie Village?" Musa asked.

"That would be the most likely assumption, yes," Faragonda confirmed as she turned back to them. She sighed and said: "Another likely assumption would be that you're curious about what exactly Darkar is after".

"Actually, yes," Flora said. "Especially after the large scale assault he launched on Red Fountain just to acquire a wooden block".

"You girls have an incredible ability to get involved in all kinds of troublesome and dangerous situations," Faragonda mused.

"It's a gift," Techna insisted with a smile.

The headmistress couldn't help but smirk, before starting with: "What Darkar is after is called the Codex. An ancient set of wooden tablets that contain the fragmented instruction on how to open a gate to Relix".

"Relics?" Musa asked. "What relics?"

"No, Relix, with an x at the end rather than a c and an s," Faragonda corrected. "This is the part of the tale that you would have trouble finding in official history books, but you deserve an explanation. Relix is a sealed dimension, one of the very few to have ever been so. I am not privy to what is contained in there, only that it's dangerous to the entire multiverse, but what I do know is that every Shadow Phoenix ever known has been obsessed with it. They have all hunted the Codex relentlessly, chasing it from world to world. Their stated reasons for doing so always changes, as does their motivations, but their goal is always the Codex. All their plans, strategies and gambits centre on acquiring all four pieces".

"Couldn't we just destroy the Codex then?" Techna asked. "I mean, it would deny him access".

"True. It would also deny anyone else access to Relix," Faragonda pointed out. "And there's no guarantee that that's a good thing".

"Guess you're right," the scarred girl said with a shrug.

"And where are the three remaining pieces?" Flora asked.

"As you have probably figured out, one is in Pixie Village," Faragonda said. "One is hidden in Cloud Tower, the other in Alfea".

"Great. Does that mean we risk another invasion?" Musa asked.

"Would depend on Darkar's army," Flora said. "Depending on how quickly he can replenish his troops, he might launch one. But most likely, he will need time to recover from the attack on Red Fountain".

"Given that Darkar's troops are undead beings who must fir be constructed, you would be right in that assumption," Faragonda said. "So no, I do not think he will try the same thing as with Red Fountain. Not now, at least. But he will do everything he can to gain those pieces. And we have every reason to suspect that Darkar is responsible for the pixies' altered state".

"The question is, how did he get them poisoned in the first place?" Bloom pondered.

...

Helia began sorting through the sketches he had made that day. He and Flora had gone to talk with Mirta and talked about her possibly giving a small performance, maybe even getting Lucy over to assist her, which the former witch had agreed to. But she had also agreed to go through a very short routine with Flora, though it became quite obvious that the brunette, though very nimble on her feet, was not a trained dancer.

He began applying the brush to one of the sketches he really liked, trying to follow the flows and couture of Mirta and Flora's bodies, trying to invest in their likeness the very same energy they had displayed.

He found them to be a cute couple and an excellent subject for his paintings. He finished a stroke of his brush and glanced as the face of Mirta.

She was a pretty cute girl.

A thought buzzed into Helia's mind and the artist shook his head, slightly confused. He glanced around the room, as if the thought that had momentarily popped into his head was now lurking under his bed. His room was a shrine dedicated to his art, filled with the tools of his trade and the results of it.

He sighed and decided that he should probably get some sleep.

...

Bloom glanced at the clock. It was getting late. Still, the evening's mess had deprived her of the ability to sleep. Though she had no plans of binging on late night television, as doing so last time had come back to kick her behind, she figured she could use the next hour or so on being productive. She opened the book on healing spells and decided to see if she could instil some life and vigour back into the plant she had crippled. She read over the instructions, the instilling of the natural thirst for life and the wild animation of a living organism, and focused on the rather sad looking plant.

Her magic started to flow and she forced herself to think of the plant thirsting for life and wildly animating.

She concentrated hard, even letting her dragonflame flare a bit to pump a little extra energy into the plant. Her concentration were interrupted when said plant suddenly reached out and grasped her throat with surprising force. Bloom gagged as the plant tightened its grip, trying to choke her. By pure reflex, her magic flared and fire exploded from her hands, obliterating the hostile flora and scattering blackened pieces of its urn all over the place.

"That's not what I... Meant by... Thirst for life," Bloom gasped as she breathed heavily. She eyed the book. First time around, she figured she was just bad at it, but now... Now she wasn't so sure the fault was entirely hers. She grabbed the book and rushed to Faragonda's office.

"What is it, Bloom?" Faragonda asked concerned after letting the redhead in.

"I wanted to study general healing spells," Bloom explained. "You know, in case anybody gets seriously hurt again".

"That's very complicated magic," Faragonda said sternly. "I hope that you haven't tried it on anyone".

"Well, I tried it on a plant," Bloom said. "Which then tried to kill me".

Faragonda blinked in surprise.

"See, I borrowed a book from professor Avalon," Bloom said and held up the book. "But the instructions... Well, they certainly haven't been leading to any healing".

"I don't know this book," Faragonda said and went through the pages. "But these instructions... Bloom, these aren't healing spells. Many of them are actually designed to do the exact opposite".

"I figured there was something wrong with it," the redhead said.  
>"Why would Avalon give you a book like this?" the headmistress said slightly confused.<p>

"Actually, he didn't," Bloom clarified. "See, he said I could take a book to study from the bookshelf and I figured this sounded like a good starting point".

"Strange," Faragonda said. "I'll have a talk with Avalon. I'm starting to suspect that this isn't his book".

...

"How could they do this to us," Livy said sorrowfully. The pixies had been locked in a large cage and placed in the teachers' meeting room. "I thought they were our friends".

"Sucks," Glim agreed. As the poison in their bodies slowly started to burn out, more of their original personalities started to shine through, but the pixies were still overwhelmingly compelled to get home.

"Found a way out?" Piff asked Tune, who was currently studying every single square inch of the cage.

"No, they've built a pretty good cage," Tune replied. "We're only getting out with a key".

Suddenly, the door to the room rustled and opened.

"Hey, you there. Let us out," Amore demanded.

Into the room walked a person, shrouded in a heavy cloak that obscured all features. The figure didn't say anything or make any indication that it heard the pixies. It just slowly glided across the floor over to the cage. Its arm stretched out and touched the lock. The pixies, who had moved as far away from the figure as they could, heard a click as the lock was opened, though they never saw the figure's hand. Then, as silently as it had arrived, the mysterious figure left.

"Well, that was odd," Piff stated.

"Odd?" Amore asked. "Try..." she said and twirled around, now clad in a stereotypical ghost costume. "...spooky".

"I will not question good fortune," Tune said an opened the cage's door. "Let us go". The pixies flew out and opened the window.

Seconds later, the door opened again and Musa entered while saying: "...just feel kinda bad about..." She stopped and stared at the open cage, as Techna came in after her.

"Oh," the scarred girl said. "That's not good".

"Dammit," Musa hissed as she noted the open window. She turned and ran out into the hallway, followed by Techna, who was already pulling out her gadget.

Stella and Flora, who had gone with them and was waiting in the hall, figured from one look at Musa's face what had happened and followed, Stella dialling on her cellphone.

"The pixies are..." she said into her phone as the four girls ran out into the courtyard. "Hey, what was up with them, Musa?"

"Cage and window open," Musa responded as they passed the fountain.  
>"Right, fled out the window," Stella said into the phone. "We'll try to get them as soon as possible, but we'll probably need some backup". She ended the call just as they ran into the surrounding forest, leaves whirling around them as they charged through, Stella once again acting as the group's flashlight.<p>

"Alright, we're going thataway," Techna directed as she eyed the screen on her gadget. "And quickly. Little buggers are speedier than last time".

"Fantastic..." Stella wheezed. "More running".

"How far away are they?" Musa asked.

"We're closing in," Techna replied. "Relatively speaking".

Musa noticed something out of the corner of her eye and barely managed to yell: "GET DOWN!" before a barrage of spikes were launched towards them. The girls tumbled to the ground, as the bony projectiles dug deep into the bark of the surrounding trees. Stella whimpered in pain as she slowly got up from the ground. One of the spikes had dug deep into her arm.

"We've got company," Techna said, activating her flashlight and pointing.

The thing that had just attacked was one of the spike-covered forsaken, but a new variant was escorting it. It had six legs supporting a bulbous body made of the characteristic grey flesh of the forsaken, which was covered in snapping mouths. Every joint of its legs was a mouth and its feet were also simply opened mouths it walked on.

"Solaris burn it... It is Darkar," Stella whimpered as she tugged at the spike.

"Let it stay for now," Flora advised her. "Or the bleeding will get worse".

The spiked forsaken curved its back as it prepared another volley.

"Crap, its firing again," Musa said and the girls scrambled to get to cover behind the trees, as another barrage of spikes were launched towards them. The many-mouthed creature took the opportunity to start charging their position, its many maws eagerly snapping in anticipation.

Flora touched the ground and thick bundles of grass grasped the creature's legs, causing it to trip.

Its spiked companion prepared to fire again, but Stella jumped out of cover with an angry: "LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE GETTING SHOT," before letting a blast of cutting light loose from her sceptre. It hit the creature in the side, slicing its belly open and cutting two of its legs off, causing the undead creature to tumble to the ground.

"Fire in the hole!" Techna yelled as she hurled one of her grenades at the downed creature. Seconds later, its rotting flesh was spread across the area.

Meanwhile, the mouthy forsaken managed to gnaw itself free from the entangling grass and stood up, its many jaws snarling ferociously.

"Put a sock in it!" Musa yelled and fired a concentrated blast of sound at it. The beast stumbled back from the force, many of its teeth fragmenting and forcefully plunging into its rotten flesh. It snarled again and charged. Musa smiled and ran towards it. At the last moment, she slid under it, blowing its legs away with her magic as she did so. The big creature fell to the ground again with a whump.

Flora took the initiative and focused. Several roots from the surrounding trees burst free from the ground and grabbed the creatures flailing legs, before ripping them all off with a disgusting wet noise. The now incapacitated creature snarled and snapped, but was completely unable to move without its limps.

"Who's a good monster?" Techna asked jokingly, juggling one of her homemade grenades in one hand. "Who deserves a treat? Do you? Do you? Well, here you go, boy. It's snack-time". With those words, she hurled the grenade into its mouth. Seconds later it exploded, its stinking and liquidizing flesh splashing the girls.

"This... Is... Tots... Disgusting," Stella whimpered as she desperately tried to force the stinky goop off.

...

Faragonda, Bloom and Palladium stormed out of Alfea. They had received the phone-call from Stella minutes earlier, but had to wait for Palladium, who had prepared an alchemical grenade. "I suspect it's a homesickness poison," he had explained. "It would fit with all the symptoms. Fortunately, their own bodies should fight it off in a couple of hours, but until then, pepup will help".

Now, they stood in the moonlit courtyard and stared at the dark forest.

"Bloom, call your friends. See if they know where they are," Faragonda said.

"Alright, I'm calling," the redhead replied. "Hello, it's Bloom. Where're the pixies? You were attacked? Wait, trackers? Faragonda, Techna has put trackers on the pixies".

"Alright. I have an idea," the headmistress stated.

"Ho boy," Palladium sighed. "My stomach is not going to like this".

"Wait, what are you taaaAAAAAAAA!" Bloom yelled as the three of them was suddenly hoisted into the air.

"Now, where are the pixies in relation to your friends?" Faragonda requested, as she used her magic to hold them still.

"East," Bloom replied after getting an answer over the phone, nervously glancing at the ground far below them.

"Have Stella, or somebody else who can, send up a flare of some kind," Faragonda said. "We'll use it to navigate".

"She heard you," Bloom said. In the distance, a pillar of sunlight shot up from the depths of the forest.

"Alright, here we go," Faragonda stated, before the three shot through the air, passing over the forest with incredible speed. Bloom couldn't help but scream in a mixture of fear and excitement. They swung by the pillar of light and continued east, flying over an open field.

"There they are," Palladium said and pointed. Indeed, below them the pixies were crossing the field. "Alright, elvish aim, don't fail me now," Palladium pleaded and hurled the grenade. It detonated a bit above the pixies.

"What was noise?" Glim managed to ask, before they were bathed in the alchemical substance. The pixies hung in the air, a shocked expression on their faces.

"Why were we going home?" Tune asked in confusion.

Glim shrugged in reply.

"I think we were going crazy there for a bit," Piff stated. "Wow, that was weird. But now I feel fine". She yawned. "Actually, I feel like I need a nap".

"Good to see that you are okay," Faragonda stated as she slowly lowered the three to the ground. "You were poisoned, probably by a servant of Darkar".

"Wow, that's not good," Livy said and shook her head.

"Wait," Bloom realised. "Darkar has infiltrated the school?"

"I'm afraid that is the case," Faragonda stated. "Somebody stole the key to the pixies' cage, planted a dangerous book in Avalon's bookshelf and directed some of the forsaken to attack your friends. I'm afraid we'll have to be very vigilant in the future".

"In the meantime, can we go home?" Amore asked. "And by home, I mean Alfea this time".

"Sounds like an idea," Faragonda said with a kind smile. "Come everyone. We'll pick the others up on the way".

...

Helia stared at the slowly rising sun, then returned his attention to the picture he had made. He stared at Mirta's face, the unwelcome thought burrowing into his mind. He shook his head again, but the thought, no, the feeling wouldn't leave. "What am I getting myself into now?" he sighed.


	12. The Phoenix Goes Viral

Chapter 12: The Phoenix Goes Viral

Another couple of normal days passed, without anyone being attacked, poisoned, kidnapped or killed. Bloom got the chance to really get back into sketching, which was helped by Helia's enthusiasm for the subject. They also managed to complete a couple of collaborative works, Bloom being good at adding dynamics to the picture while Helia had an excellent sense of colour composition. Together, they had managed to create a couple of excellent pictures, most featuring their friends as subjects.

Thus, it was one day, with the faint hope that maybe she could get through a month without having to get involved in a dangerous adventure, that Bloom walked into Avalon's class. She found her seat, sat down and waited for the paladin's arrival. Not soon after, he entered the class, punctual as usual.

"Alright, in today's class we shall learn about fusion spells," he started. "Now, does anyone here know what a fusion spell is? Techna, you have a suggestion?"

"Is it when you use magic to fuse things together?" Techna asked.

"In a way, yes, but probably not in the way you think," Avalon replied. "Alright, fusion spells is a subject that Palladium, DuFour and I will be teaching you about. Two magi can perform a fusion spell by connecting their respective energies to cast a single spell. When they do so, not only can they cast spells that draws upon both casters' knacks, but they also have access to their collective magical energy, allowing for greater spells. Now, I say both casters, but the thing is, there's no limit to how many magi can join together to cast a fusion spell. There are other limitations however. First of all, the magi casting the spell must be able to cooperate. It requires a great understanding of each other. Secondly, it also requires a great understanding of your own magic. You will need this understanding in order to share it with your partners. Otherwise, they will be unable to work with your knack. This is particularly hard, since most magi use their knack intuitively, but fusion spells require a great deal of introspection. I imagine you can see why this type of magic requires so many teachers to train you in it. It will also serve as preparation for learning ritual magic, which is basically fusion magic applied to general spells". He cleared his throat. "Now, first exercise is simple and consists of two parts. Firstly, I will split you up in pairs and then you must try to explain to each other how you use your knack. Take your time and do not hesitate to take a break if you need to think it through. Secondly, you and your partner must think of how you can combine your knacks. You will then try to use that idea, or ideas if you came up with more than one, in Palladium's class tomorrow". Then Avalon started setting up groups. Bloom got set up with Musa, while Techna and Flora had to work together.

"Alright, so my magic..." Bloom began, trying to put it in words. "It's like... I reach out and make a spark with my will. Too vague?"

"Try completely uninformative," Musa replied. "Let me try. I use my magic by plucking the air like a stringed instrument, creating waves of sound out of nothing".

"Huh, sounds interesting," Bloom said. "Okay, let me try again. I cast my magic by rubbing it really hard together".

"That just sounds weird," Musa stated.

A couple of rows behind them, Techna and Flora were exchanging experiences.

"So when you come down to it, we are using very similar techniques," Flora stated. "The difference is in the subject matter. And I will say that the biggest difference in our knacks is that plants are alive and you have to work with them when controlling them".

"Completely opposite of mine," Techna said. "Well, not entirely. Machines can be rather stubborn bastards too. But my point is that mechanics are already made to serve, so they work with you, rather than the other way around".

"It sounds simple," the brunette responded. "Which probably means we are oversimplifying it".  
>"Eh, maybe," Techna said uncaringly while shrugging. "Now, what awesome things can we come up with by combining our powers?"<p>

"I thought you were intending on starting small in your projects, rather than shooting straight for the end goal," Flora noted.

"Hey, we talked first, right?" the scarred girl responded with a smirk.

Back with Bloom and Musa, they were having a hard time figuring out how to combine their knacks.

"A singing flame, maybe," the redhead said while brainstorming. "Sound propelled fireball... Maybe".

"Maybe fire that doesn't make a sound," Musa suggested. "I mean, I don't see how that would ever be useful. But I think we could do it".

"Or maybe we could use my peripheral knack," Bloom suggested. "Combining heat with a soundwave in order to create a magical blow-drier".

"Hmm, I think you're on to something," Musa said.

...

Red Fountain had its own newspaper, called the Red Times. It was not a huge publication, nor was it well known outside the academy. In fact, it wasn't even that well known inside Red Fountain, having only been started a couple of months before by a new student, but it was slowly getting traction. One of the things that attracted people to the weekly paper was that it maintained schedules of upcoming events at the three schools or in the nearby city of Magicalis, which was a boon to anyone who had trouble keeping track of it all.

The leader of this project, a young man named Jared, made his way to Saladin's office. The elder warlock had been the one to grant him permission to start the newspaper, though he had doubted there would be interest in it. And now he wanted another talk with Jared. The journalist's worst fear was that Saladin had concluded that there wasn't enough interest in the project and was therefore going to shut it down. To defend his newspaper project, he had brought a couple of charts to demonstrate that more and more people were reading the paper. He arrived outside the door and checked himself in a nearby mirror. He smoothed out his dark hair one final time and adjusted the orange shirt he worked in, before knocking on the door.

"Come in," came the warlock's voice.

Jared took a deep breath and entered the office.

"Ah, Jared. Good to see you," Saladin greeted him. "So, your project has been running for about two months now, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Jared responded.

"And how would you say it has been going?" Menefer requested.

"Well, it started out slow, but more and more people are getting interested," Jared explained. "The inclusion of a schedule for upcoming events was a definite plus in our readers' eyes. I'm thinking of trying to get a cartoonist on board, so we can have a funny page or something. Plus, some students from Alfea and Cloud Tower have expressed interest in the paper, so maybe when we get a bit bigger, I can export them. But that's a long term goal. That and getting more articles. I'll need a bit more journalistic clout before I can really get some good assignments".

"Well, I will admit that I was surprised by the popularity of your paper," Menefer said. "And so, I've decided to help you. I've had a talk with Faragonda and some of her students will soon be taking tests in the simulator room. So I've arranged that you can get an interview with a student about this machine and even observe it in use".

"Really? That's going to make the headline," Jared gasped. "I-I mean, thank you. Sir. Thank you, sir".

"At ease, Jared. I am only trying to add to enrich the lives of our students and soldiers, without negatively affecting their training," Saladin explained. "And the Red Times fulfil those criteria. Though the test is in two days, so if you want any interviews or whatnot before the test itself, I would suggest you get over there as soon as possible".

"My schedule is clear for the rest of the day," Jared pointed out. "So once I'm done here, I'll just hop on my aircycle".

"Excellent," the warlock stated. "By the way, last week's memorial issue was very well written. I feel that you managed to honour the fallen".

"I hope to make a similar page dedicated to those who fell during the Usurper Crisis," Jared explained. "Probably put it up on the anniversary".

"I think that would be a good idea," the warlock said. "Now, unless you have something to add, you are dismissed".

"No, sir. Nothing else, sir. Have a good day, sir," Jared said, before leaving the room. After closing the office door, his face lit up in a wide smile. He jumped into the air, clicking his heels together while exclaiming: "Yes!" Then he happily danced down the stairs, hurrying to get pen, note-block, audio recorder and camera.

...

"Man, fusion spells are hard," Bloom sighed as she sat down on one of the outdoor benches in the courtyard.

"What do you mean?" Flora asked. "We have not even started actually attempting to cast any fusion spells".

"I know," Bloom groaned. "And already Musa and I have only come up with one good idea. Or maybe it just seems good because it's the only one we got".  
>"Some knacks just don't seem to have an immediately useful combination," Musa added with a shrug.<p>

"I suppose that is also part of the lesson," Flora speculated. "It forces us to think creatively. Gets us out of our comfort zone and allows us to see the potential of our knacks".

"Hey, I'm already creatively out of the box," Techna pointed out.

"Like when you creatively blew Professor Avalon out of both a window and his underpants?" Musa asked.

"Accidents happen," Techna replied. "Besides, he's forgiven me". After a moment, she added: "Still can't figure out why it went charging after him though. I checked the remains and all I could find seemed to have worked almost as intended".

"Oh, hello there, Aisha," Flora called when she noticed the princess of Tides walking across the courtyard. "How did the class go for you?"

"Oh, hi," Aisha quietly replied. "It went... It didn't go well. I had trouble properly communicating the... Well, the way I do magic. So now, we have nothing for Palladium's class".

"I am sure that is something that can happen to everybody," Flora said comfortingly. "Give it some thought and you might be able to put the right words on it".

"I'll try," Aisha replied a bit sadly, before shuffling off.

"I take it 'explaining herself' wasn't one of the things she got tutored in," Musa added a bit harshly. "No big surprise there".

Bloom eyed the black-haired girl for a moment, but any potential comments were cut off by a black-haired boy walking over to them with a: "Hello there. I'm Jared. Is one of you girls Musa?"

"That would be me," the girl in question said and got up. "So, do you want to do it here or should we go somewhere else?"

"I think the rest of us could benefit from some context," Bloom interjected.

"I disagree," Techna said with a wide grin. "Trust me, Firetop. Most things are just better out of context".

"The context is that Jared here is chief editor of Red Times, a newly made newspaper in Red Fountain," Musa explained. "Griselda came by and said that Jared here wanted to interview somebody about the simulator room, so she was looking for somebody who had the time. Since I've got nothing better to spend my break on, I said yes".

"Huh. Why didn't they choose someone like me?" Techna pondered. "No offence, but I am kinda one of the more tech savvy students, whereas you are one of those instrumental types".

"That would be musical types, Techna," Musa added dryly. "Also, I suppose Griselda didn't want you getting interviewed because the censorship needed would make the article unreadable".

"Ouch, low blow, Cacophony," the scarred girl said with a dramatic wince. "I can be completely family friendly when I want to".

"Ehm, to answer your question, Musa, could we set up the, ehm, interview outside Alfea?" Jared asked. "A lot of noise around here".

"If you think so," Musa replied. "Do you have any place in mind?"

"Yeah. I was, ehm, thinking we could go to the nearby stream. I know there are some picnic tables down there and the weather is, ehm, reasonably well today," the journalist suggested.

"Why not. Could use a walk," Musa said with a shrug. "Let's go. My break doesn't last forever".

The moment they were out of earshot, Techna added: "Kid should drop the stuttering, but other than that, he's got some smooth moves".

"He's got what now?" Bloom asked confused.

"I think Techna was implying that Jared grew interested in more than just interviewing Musa after meeting her," Flora added. "So he wanted to be alone with her".

"Oh?" Bloom said. "Oh, now I get it". She thought about it for a moment. "That was quick. They've just met".

"For some people, that's more than enough," Techna said sagely. "At least to start with".

...

"Wow. I'd never have dared to go into that machine if something like that had happened to one of my friends," Jared said while furiously scribbling down notes. He and Musa had found one of the tables he had mentioned in a glade by the stream, the grass coloured by the multitude of fallen leaves.

"They upgraded security afterwards and Bloom managed to recover," Musa said. "Besides, time gives perspective. Considering what else happened that year, well, starring in a horror movie suddenly doesn't seem so bad in comparison".

"Yeah, ehm, kinda happy I wasn't at Red Fountain last year," Jared said. "Not that I've, ehm, managed to avoid combat, what with RF already having been, uhm, attacked twice now".

"I was there the first time," Musa said. "Sat in the arena when that big beast dropped in. Anyway, I think we're getting sidetracked."  
>"Right, right," Jared quickly said, almost dropping his pencil. "So, we've gone over how it works and then some of your personal history, ehm, that is, with the simulator. Did you actually get to use it?"<p>

"Yep. Both for my midterm and exam," Musa said. "It's fascinating the amount of customization that goes into it. For my exam, for example, I got a cave where I had to manage sound so as to not cause a cave in". She glanced at Jared. "By the way, doesn't Red Fountain have a simulator?"

"Surprisingly, no," Jared replied. "I think Cordatorta said that, ehm, Saladin had mentioned that they decided against it when the first simulators started circulating. They were, uhm, concerned that the device would hinder the proper development, ehm, of the students. But, ehm, I think one of the reasons Saladin wants this article written is that, uhm, he might be reconsidering and wants some more info on it. But, ehm, that's just me speculating".

"I think it would be a great help," the black-haired girl offered. "Would allow you to train in situations you can't simulate in an arena".

"We'll see," the journalist said. "Anyways, I think we're done. I'll be back tomorrow to observe it in use. I, ehm, look forward to seeing you there".

"Don't expect too much," Musa said. "We've started on a new subject, so it's not going to be anything fancy. Still learning the ropes and everything".

"Right, well, ehm, let's get back to Alfea," Jared said and the two headed back. When they returned to the school, Jared quickly found his aircycle and drove it up besides Musa. "So, ehm, that was fun".

"Yeah, I had a good time," the black-haired girl said.

"So, ehm, would you like to do it again?" the black-haired journalist asked.

"Another interview?" Musa asked a bit confused.

"No, ehm, I meant do something with me," Jared clarified. "Ma-maybe a date or something".

"Oh," Musa said in realisation. She shuffled her feet for a bit. "Jared... I really had fun hanging out with you, but..."

"That's a no, isn't it," Jared said crestfallen.

"Yeah, it is," Musa quietly said. "Look, I'm sorry that..."

"No, no, it's okay," he said and quickly put on his helmet. "You don't... Owe me anything".

"But that doesn't mean we can't do anything together," Musa added. "We'll just be doing it as friends".

Jared winced a bit. "I'll... Maybe we could... Do that. See you around". Then he rode off.

Musa watched him disappear behind the trees, before sighing and walking into the courtyard.

...

The next day was another crisp autumn day. Though it was progressively getting colder and windier, a lot of the students still spent the breaks between classes enjoying the weather. Musa was one of them, busy contemplating whether or not there was a better fusion spell for her and Bloom to perform. However, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Stella going: "So how was your date, Musa?"

The black-haired girl tensed for a moment, took a deep breath and said: "How about starting with a hello. That usually works". She turned around to see the intrigued blonde watching her with a big smile. Stella's 'I smell gossip' face. Behind her was Techna, who merely looked curious about what her friend had been up to, thus managing to look very dignified in comparison, oversized sombrero notwithstanding.

"Oh, well, hello then," the Solarian blonde quickly added. "Now, how was the date?"

"What have you told her?" Musa asked Techna.

"Just that a boy came for an interview and was obviously smitten seconds after laying eyes upon you," the scarred girl explained.

Musa mulled over it for a second, before admitting: "Well, that is pretty much what happened".

"I knew it. How was the date?" Stella asked with such intensity that was it not for the obvious glee, one would think she was interrogating a suspect about a national security breach.

Musa rolled her eyes, before saying: "Cool it, Stella. It wasn't a date".

"But he did drag you out to some secluded spot because he was into you, didn't he?" Stella asked, as if the question was the piercing inquiry that would cause the prosecutors case to fall flat.

"True. But I went with him to give him an interview, not because he was asking me out," Musa pointed out. "Besides, when he actually did ask me on a date, I said no".

"What? Why?" Stella asked.

"Arh, you aren't that dense, Suntop," Techna stated. "Obviously, she wasn't into him".

"Well, yeah, obviously," the blonde replied. "What I meant was, how could you be totally certain?"

"That I didn't want to date him?" Musa asked. "I just didn't feel it".

"Oh well, I suppose that really does settle it," the blonde sighed.

"Alright, I admit that I did have fun with him, so I told him I wouldn't mind hanging with him. You know, as friends," Musa pointed out, causing the two other girls to wince visibly. "What?"

"Did you tell him that right after declining a date?" Stella asked, still wincing as if she had just seen someone break something.  
>"Yeah. I though he deserved to know that I didn't dislike him," Musa stated.<p>

"Ouch. Friendzoned immediately," Techna added. "That's gotta hurt".

"Oh, so you think I shouldn't have told him?" Musa asked a bit defensively.

"No no, you misunderstand," Techna quickly added. "You always have the right to decide for yourself who you date. I'm just saying it hurts when somebody you want to dance with ain't interested in the same rhythm, ya know what I'm saying?"

The black-haired girl sighed and said: "Maybe you're right. I felt bad about shooting him down, but I just honestly couldn't feel that kind of interest for him. I just didn't want him to think that I had something against him".

"Hey, it wouldn't be fair to him or you if you went on a date out of pity," Stella added. "Stuff like that, best solved quickly. Trust me," she soberly added. "Broken relationships aren't fun when they are dragged out".

"Though one should at least drop a few words before running screaming out the door," Techna sagely added. "By the way, how did Jared take it?"

"Better than one could fear, though a bit harder than I expected," Musa said. "He must have really fallen head over heels for me".

"Some people are like that," Techna added. "Never fun to shoot them down, but they're usually pretty good at recovering. Just think of it this way. Nobody's going to enjoy the dance if we're stepping on each others' toes".

"Yeah, I can get behind that," Musa said. "Anyway, I can see that our next class with Palladium is in a few minutes. We should probably get going".

...

Deep below the crust of the earth, inside the realm of Shadowhaunt, the dread lord Darkar sat on his throne, trying to come up with a new scheme. This was taking him a considerable amount of time. The big pile of crumbled paper by the side of his throne bore mute witness to his failure at coming up with a new diabolical masterstroke. It wasn't that he didn't have ideas, but that he always seemed to find some inexcusable flaw, like relying on too many unknowns or revealing too many of his aces too soon.

"You seem to be having issues, master Darkar," Darcy said as she walked into the throne room. "No new ideas I take it".

"Plenty of ideas," the dark lord mumbled. "Nothing useful yet. I need something that will both further my cause and have the desired dramatic effect, without making me out to be an idiot". He chewed at the end of the pencil. "I thought about another invasion, but not only would it be rethreading my own plans, I would basically just be copying your final gambit".

"Yeah, that did not go as planned," Darcy admitted. "Though mostly because we got blindsided by things like the dragonflame and our troops having already been weakened".

"Exactly," Darkar said. "How ignoble it would be for me to perish before we've even reached the final act. It would be disastrous. I would be a laughingstock. Villains all over the worlds would point at my grave and go 'Darkar was the lamest villain ever'".

"I'm pretty sure that won't happen," Darcy said diplomatically, mostly because she had yet to meet anyone that shared her employer's deranged perspective.

"Bah, it'll come to me in due time," Darkar said and hurled the pen and paper way. "Maybe it just isn't the right moment yet. Shouldn't try to force the plot along". He glanced at the mess in his throne room. "MOOKS. CLEAN MY THRONE ROOM!" Immediately, several forsaken charged in and started carrying out the crumbled paper. "Much better. A pile of paper would make for ridiculous set dressing". He eyed Darcy. "So, what is it you wanted?"

The dirty-blonde shrugged and said: "Mostly just wandering the castle. Icy is hogging the television and Stormy is busy reading. And your mooks aren't the best of conversationalists".

"Tell me about it," Darkar sighed. "Part of the reason I had to get you three on board". Suddenly, one of the big-mouthed forsaken charged in, carrying a scroll. "Ah," the lord of Shadowhaunt said delighted. "Today's report. Let's see if there are any updates". He unfolded the scroll and studied its content.

"Anything interesting, my lord?" Darcy asked.

"Yes. Something very interesting," Darkar replied. "There's the plot development I needed. I have an idea. I shall confront the heroines".

Darcy stared silently for a moment, processing his proclamation. "Alright, you got me. Why?"

"It'll allow me to gauge their abilities and powers for myself," Darkar explained. "Plus, I haven't had the proper opportunity to introduce myself to them. What poor story it would be if the villain and heroes barely interacted. It would deprive the conflict of a personal element".

"You're going to go fight the 'heroes' in order to add a 'personal element' to the ongoing conflict," Darcy quoted. "Sure, why not. It's in line with all the other things you've done. But what if you defeat the heroines?"

"Tch, listen to yourself," the Shadow Phoenix scoffed. "Obviously, if I defeat them now they weren't the real heroines, but decoy protagonists. Their fall will ensure the rise of the true protagonists".

"And that's somehow a good thing?" Darcy asked. "Will you be needing our services for this... Brilliant plan of yours?" she added, having to almost force the last couple of words out. She was starting to reconsider the idea of staying, but parts of her kept pointing out that despite his general instability, Darkar had provided them with everything he had promised and had generally been victorious. A thought that unsettled the witch. She was of the opinion that nobody that crazy should be able to be so strategically successful with plots based on outdated clichés, yet the Shadow Phoenix defied her expectations of how the world worked. In a way, she felt she had to stay, if only to see how it would all play out.

"I will need only your abilities," Darkar said and folded the paper scroll. "I'll need you to come up with a new disguise. Because now it's disguise time".

...

Back at Alfea, the students had assembled in Palladium's class. The elf himself was accompanied by Avalon. All the students had been divided into their small two-man teams, all awaiting for their chance to demonstrate their fusion spells, some with excitement, others with barely contained dread.

"Alright class, let's see what you have come up with," Palladium said with excitement in his voice. "And don't worry about failing. This is not a formal test, merely an opportunity to allow you to try out the principles that Avalon has taught you. Now, who should we start with?"

"I suggest we let Techna and Flora go first," Avalon suggested.

"See, he's already regained confidence in me," Techna whispered to her partner.

"Or maybe he just wants it over with in case our combined spell launches him clothes-less out of a window," Flora mused.

"Also an option," Techna admitted.

"Alright, that sounds like a good idea," Palladium said after giving Avalon's suggestion some thought. "Alright, what have you two come up with?"

"Well, we have created a prosthetic arm out of materials like wood, grass and such," Flora explained and gestured to the wooden limb on the desk they were sharing. "We will attempt to use our magic to make it move, Techna adding the mechanical expertise and I adding the control".

"Can it fly?" Avalon asked.

"Hasn't been part of the general design idea," Techna said. "Mostly because Flowergirl here insisted".

"A wise choice," the paladin said a bit relieved. "Alright, let us see what you can do".

"Alright, let's give it a shot," Techna said.

"On three. One, two, three," Flora counted.

At three, the two girls focused their powers, their energies mixing and stretching out towards the inert artificial limb. It fused into it, charging the plant's cells with magic and tugging at its fibers. The limb vibrated with force, its fingers twitching as the two girls in accord tried to make it move. Techna's brows furrowed in frustration as she tried to bend the non-mechanical shapes, while Flora dealt with the strangeness of trying to force the plant into unnatural movements. Their magic sparked and short-circuited, causing the entire thing to detonate in a little, but powerful explosion. The wooden fist flew through the air, before planting itself squarely in Avalon's face with a whump.

The entire class went silent.

"Aw," came the paladin's muffled reaction.

"Huh. It did end up flying anyway," Techna noted.

"Yeah, I noticed," Avalon dryly stated as Palladium carefully tried to pry one of the wooden fingers out of his nose. "Now, wh-ouch". "Sorry". "It's okay, Palladium. Anyway, what do you think went wrong?"

"I think I need to understand plants better," Techna said and eyed their scorched desk. "Plants aren't really supposed to explode".

"You would be surprised how many plants actually work by exploding," Flora noted.

"Really? Awesome," the scarred girl said with excitement.

"And to answer your question, I usually use my magic by allowing plants to grow or shrink, not just move," Flora stated. "It is something I will have to work with".

"Well, then you have learned something. And that was the point," Palladium stated. "Now, let us move down to the next in line. Bloom and Musa, what do you have to show us?"

"Well, we don't really have that much," Musa admitted. "It was kinda hard coming up with anything for our knacks".

"So we went with one of my peripherals," Bloom explained. "We're going to try to create a sound-based blow-dryer".

"It's kinda lame and really not that practical," Musa quickly added. "But it was the best we could come up with".

"Well, then I believe it will be a learning experience for you," Palladium said encouragingly. "Go on, give it a try".

"Alright. Here we go," Musa said as she and her redhead friend let the powers flow into one another's.

They mingled as Bloom tried to pour heat into the strings that Musa plucked in the air. It resulted in Palladium feeling a mildly warm breeze that was accompanied by the faint sound of nails on a blackboard. "Not really a blow-dryer," Palladium noted. "Still, I'd call it a relative success".

"Not done yet," Bloom said in a strained voice. As her magic bubbled, she could feel her desire to complete the task grow. She was certain that they could pull it off with just a little bit more power. "We just need to use more energy".

"Bloom, not certain that's a good idea," Musa said, nonetheless keeping the spell active.

"Neither am I, to be perfectly honest," Palladium added, while Avalon took a very concerned step back. "It's okay. We don't expect perfect fusion spells. This is just an attempt to give you a feel for its principles and..."

At that moment, Bloom let her dragonflame ignite and poured the power into the spell. With the sound of a cat being cooked alive in oil during a death metal concert performed in the middle of big city rush hour traffic, a great plume of fire exploded out into the room and hit the opposing wall, scorching it completely black.

Everyone stared, some having fallen out of their chairs from shock.

"Maybe a bit too much power," Bloom said in a tiny voice as she slowly let herself sink down under the edge of her desk.

"Are you okay?" Avalon asked concerned as he let the shield he had raised around Palladium drop.

"Well, I'll survive," the elf replied with a shrug.

"I might also have been a bit... Incomplete with the protection," the paladin admitted.

Palladium raised an eyebrow and touched his hair. "Ah, I'll need to regrow that," he noted as he felt the scorched patch that used to be one third of his hair. "Alright, so what have the two of you learned?"

"More power doesn't result in better spells," Musa said, as Bloom continued to hide behind her desk in embarrassment over having almost killed her teacher.

"Correct. It's all about technique, not about how much raw energy you can pour into it," Palladium explained. "Alright, next in line. Aisha and Niels. What do you have?"

"Nothing," the boy bluntly replied. "We couldn't find any way to combine water and fruit".

"That's fine. Just try to improvise," Palladium suggested.

"Are you okay?" Musa quietly asked her partner, as Bloom burrowed her face in her arms. "Don't feel bad. The teachers know that accidents are bound to happen in a school that works with training teenagers to be responsible magi. It's just part of the hazard of working here".

"I should have known better," Bloom groaned, the sound muffled by her arms. "This was one of those things they taught us last year. You can't fix a spell just by pumping more power into it".

"Yeah, well, shit happens," Musa said. "Come on, give it some time and it will be one of those stories we'll all laugh about. I mean, take Techna. She blew Avalon out of a window, resulting in pictures of his butt getting uploaded all over the net. And now, it's just the sort of funny story that passes around".

"I guess you're right," came Bloom's muffled reply, though she didn't sound entirely convinced.

Behind them, there was a loud bang and the entire class was suddenly splashed with fruit scented water.

There was another period of silence, although much shorter, as the students slowly got acquainted with the idea that this class would in general involve a lot of explosions.

"Nice idea, if flawed in its execution," Palladium said. "What went wrong in your opinions?"

"I dunno," Niels said with a shrug. "I think the technique was fine. It just... Fizzled out. Fizzled out all over the place".

"It's a sign that you two hadn't gained the necessary insight into one another to cooperate on the spell," Avalon explained. "Your individual techniques matter little if you don't know how to work with each other".

Aisha sighed deeply and sadly burrowed her face in her arms.

...

About an hour later, the students left the classroom, which was now smelling of everything from roses to yak ass, was filled with scorch-marks, small craters and broken inventory, and which was also haunted by a reversed jazz-song that refused to stop. The students had been given two hours to take a bath and clean up, before DuFour would talk with them about what they would be doing the next day.

Shortly before those two hours were up, Bloom walked into the room where the simulator was housed, saying: "In retrospect, almost setting Palladium on fire wasn't nearly the worst".

"I'd say it was the living biscuits that were the worst," Musa said and shuddered. "The screaming was creepy. I mean, how could they even scream to begin with? They're biscuits".

"The flying table stunt was cool," Techna added. "Well, until it broke Avalon's nose. That sucked".

They looked up to see DuFour waiting outside the simulator.  
>"Hello everyone," she greeted them. "Now then, I can understand that you have seen how wrong fusion spells can go. Therefore, I doubt I will need to explain the use of the simulator once I explain to you the nature of your task. Tomorrow's exercise will involve you splitting up in groups of five, to attempt fusions spells in a simulated environment. I have done my best to split you up based on whom you are clustermates with, in order to give you all better odds of being able to cast fusion spells. Still, if you feel that you don't know your clustermates that well, I suggest you spend some time talking with them before tomorrow".<p>

"Oh no," Musa quietly moaned.

"What? It's okay. It'll only be simulated," Techna said.

"Not that. I forgot he would be here," Musa said and indicated with a sharp movement of her head. Jared was standing by DuFour's side, occasionally scribbling something down. It was quite obvious that he was making an effort out of not looking at Musa.

"What would the issue be?" Flora quietly asked. "You have already rejected his advances".

"Yeah, but I still feel a bit awkward about it," Musa replied. "Not fun having to stomp on others' feelings like that, even if it's just to be honest".

"That was all the information you'll need. Class dismissed," DuFour said and the students started to scatter.

"So... We're in a group together," Aisha said quietly as she walked up to Techna, Flora, Musa and Bloom. "I think... I think it would be best tomorrow if you just... You just did all the spells without me".

"Why? Afraid of actually having to pull you weight," Musa asked with a hint of venom. Her friends glared at her.

"No... It's just... Probably for the best..." Aisha quietly said. "I should... Probably go now". Then the brunette princess hurried out of the room.

"Alright, I will admit to being curious," Flora said. "What exactly is it about Aisha that makes your blood boil, Musa?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like that," the black-haired girl sighed. "It's just... Her attitude sometimes... It just pisses me off".

"Why, what's she done?" Bloom asked.

"The other day, Techna and I talked with her about possibly donating some of her clothes to the poor," Musa said. "She said she was pretty sure those people would prefer to buy their own clothes over getting some shabby hand-me-downs. She's just... Completely out of touch".

"Well, true, that did happen," Techna added, scratching her neck. "Her Mayonnaise is a bit... Completely out of touch with everyday life and somewhat... Thoroughly marinated in royal etiquette and stuff".

"Well, then this will be an excellent opportunity to fix that," Flora said. "I think, in order to prepare for tomorrow, that we should hold a little party".

"Seriously?" Techna asked with a grin. "A party? Why not, sounds like fun".

"And let me guess," Musa added flatly. "You want to add Aisha to this in order to help her get to know us and maybe learn how reality works?"

"Yes. Will that be an issue?" Flora asked.

"No," Musa stated. "Just wanted to know if I guessed correctly".

"Then I will go talk with her," Flora said and headed off.

"Wait for me. I'll help," Bloom said and hurried along.

"I don't think our friends were impressed by you going all super grouch on Her Mayonnaise," Techna commented.

"I know, Techna," Musa responded a tinge annoyed. "I was here for the entire conversation".

...

"Aisha, wait," Flora called out as she pursued the princess of Tides into the courtyard. "I want to talk with you".

"Oh, what's the matter?" Aisha responded as she turned to face the brunette. "Anything wrong?"

"No, it was about what you said earlier," Bloom added as she caught up with the two of them. "We don't think you should stay out of the group".

"Oh. But I really don't know any of you that well," Aisha argued. "You just risk me ruining it for you".

"And Bloom almost set a teacher on fire," Flora pointed out. "How exactly can you do worse, unless you somehow actually manage to ignite one of the staff?"

"I get the feeling I'll be haunted by that for a long time," the redhead muttered.

"My point is, you will never learn unless you try," Flora continued. "But to help you, we have talked about having a little party this evening before we go to bed. It will be a light social gathering. No unnecessary rituals or drama, just us getting to know each other".

Aisha seemed to think about it for a second.

"Let me guess. Never tried it before?" Bloom commented.

"Actually..." Aisha started. "I have been to parties, though I do suspect they were different from what you would call a party. No, it was what you said. It reminds me of... Of Anne".

"Friend of yours?" Flora asked.  
>"I suppose she was," Aisha said with a shrug. "Not something I've been thinking about for a long time. She never bothered with protocol or anything like that. To her, I was just Aisha. But she was the daughter of a serving family and when they moved away, so did she. I've had fun with my cousins whenever they've visited, but they have their own duties and can't come to our kingdom all the time just to keep me entertained".<p>

"I see," Flora said. "But yes, that is how it will be. No formality, just us being ourselves".

"We'll also need to ask Stella," Bloom pointed out. "If she's in, and I don't see why she wouldn't be, it'll be the six of us".

"Ah, yes, you will be inviting Musa and Techna," Aisha realised. She seemed to be pondering something. "Why do you even socialise with those two? Aren't they very much out of your class?"

The two girls stared at Aisha.

"I do suppose I can see why you would get on Musa's nerves," the brunette added thoughtfully. "The thing is, Aisha, we do not pick our company based on social standing or who would make us look good. We do not do it for the alliance, the benefits or the connections. We do it simply because we enjoy each other's company. Like you and Anne, if you will allow me to be presumptuous for a moment".

"I suppose that makes a sort of sense," Aisha said. A bit crestfallen, she added: "When I first enrolled, I just thought that you were all exaggerating about how little I knew. After all, my parents had gotten me the best tutors available, given me access to tons of quality books and ensured I could move around in the right social circles. But now, I'm starting to think that I really don't know as much as I thought I did".

"Well, if you're willing to learn, you can," Bloom said with a shrug. "It's never too late to learn something new".

"And that is exactly why we have this gathering. Both so you can get to know us and we can get to know you," Flora added. "So, are you in?"

Aisha thought about it, before with a grateful smile she said: "I am".

...

That evening, most of the girls had gathered in Flora's room, since she had the least clutter by far. They were all dressed in pyjamas and sat in a circle on the carpeted floor, listening to the howling of the wind outside.

"So, you're sure she's coming?" Musa asked, referring to Aisha.

"She has not cancelled or in any way indicated she has lost interest," Flora said, picking up a handful of chips from a bowl. "So yes, I do believe she will arrive. I suppose there is a sensible reason for the delay".

A couple more minutes passed.

"Hey, by the way, would any of you mind if I, like, showed up to watch you test tomorrow?" Stella asked. "I haven't got any classes in that period, so I thought that maybe I could come down and see what you all could cook up".

"If you're lucky then nobody will get hurt," Musa snarked. "If you're unlucky, you or the staff will most likely end up with a broken nose, a trip out the window and or the delightful experience of having been set on fire".

"Could we please stop mentioning that?" Bloom muttered annoyed.

"I think that means you should feel free to show up," Flora commented.

"Sorry I'm late," Aisha said as she opened the door. "I had to find the right pyjamas for the evening".

"Well, it's _a _reason," Techna commented with a shrug.

"Hey, finding the right clothes is tots important in any given situation," Stella argued.

"What, you also took time to figure out which pyjamas to wear to this?" Musa asked in disbelief.

"Yes. But I took time out before the gathering to pick one so I wouldn't be late," Stella said, obviously proud of this idea.

"Why didn't I think of that," Aisha sighed. "I had plenty of time this afternoon".

"You people..." Musa sighed, shaking her head. "It's just a little, fricking get-together".

"That looks like some pretty high quality silk," Flora added, studying Aisha's pyjamas. "Where is it from?"

"My father actually got it from a firm that operates on Limphea," Aisha said proudly. "Very expensive, but really worth it. It signals your resourcefulness to anyone in the know".

"That's a concern with a pyjamas?" Techna asked a tad confused. "Shit, when I want to signal anything, I just use my phone".

"From Limphea you say," Flora stated and got up. "Mind if I check the tag?"

"Not at all," the princess of Tides responded, obviously confused by why that would be necessary.

"As I feared," Flora stated as she inspected the tag. "The maker of this has not been certified by the Limphean Board of Worker Safety. You should probably insist on getting clothes from another manufacturer".

"Oh," Aisha said. She glanced around the room, hoping somebody would come to her aid and explain it. With no such luck, she finally asked: "Why?"

"Well, the Limphean Board of Worker Safety makes sure to hire professionals, like I will be when I am done with my education, to ensure that contractors do their business in the safest areas with as much protection as possible," Flora explained. "LBWS also makes sure that the workers are as well equipped and informed as possible. That does raise the prices a bit, but I think it is worth it to make sure that everything possible was done to prevent people from dying".

Aisha stared at her pyjamas for a moment. Then she asked: "Wouldn't it be better to just hire more competent workers?"

The other girls noted that Musa had begun strangling a pillow.

Flora just blinked a couple of times, before asking: "What do you know of Limphea?"

Aisha glared at Flora for a moment, before slowly replying: "It has trees and silk... I think".

"So, what do you think will happen first?" Techna whispered to Stella. "Her Mayonnaise gets a clue or Cacophony rips that pillow to confetti?"

"It's totally a fifty-fifty thing by now," the blonde princess quietly responded.

"Alright, let me come with an example of how Limphea is," Flora said after a moment's pause, her voice dead serious. "There was a firm who was interested in producing clothes from a certain kind of plant. However, it was most plentiful in a dangerous area, which we recommended against working in. We would not send anyone to assist and advised them to set up shop in a less dangerous area. They refused".

"Why was it so dangerous?" Aisha asked, dreading the answers.

"Due to a variety of nocturnal species in the area," the brunette responded.

"And the people who went there?" Aisha continued.

Flora shrugged. "Nobody knows. They certainly were not there when we visited the construction site. Only traces were a few synthetic threads and a name sign in the nest of a nearby colony of city finches. But on Limphea, that is enough evidence to declare somebody death".

"That's... Terrible," Aisha stated, looking very uncomfortable.  
>"Very much. Now, this is of course a worst case scenario where everybody died," Flora continued. "Another time our advice was disregarded was when..."<p>

"I get it, I get it," Aisha said quickly. "I'll make sure that all things we buy on Limphea have been approved off. Just no more stories, okay".

"Very well," Flora said and sat down by the others again. "Take a seat and have some chips".

"Alright, after Flowergirl's horror story, how about something a tad more light-hearted?" Techna requested. "Anybody got a knee slapper?"

"A funny joke or story," Flora translated to the confused looking Aisha.

"Well, I have the story of my first big crush," Stella said. "And best of all, it tots got a morale".  
>"This is going to be good," Musa dryly commented.<p>

"I'll be magnanimous and, like, ignore that cheap comment from the peanut gallery," Stella commented with extra dignity. "Now then, back when I was a little girl with shabby knees, my parents sent me to public school".

"Why didn't they hire you some tutors?" Aisha questioned. "Couldn't they afford it?"

"Actually, my parents believed that their own tutoring had tots cut them off from the outside world," Stella explained. "They wanted me to, like, know whom the people around me were and therefore sent me to the same school most of our servants and staff sent their kids to".

"And that's why Suntop here behaves almost like a real human being," Techna added enthusiastically.

"Alright, any more comments like that and there tots won't be anything but roasted peanuts in the gallery," Stella warned, her hand glittering with small bursts of light. "Anyways, in my class was the coolest boy ever. Robby," she dreamingly sighed. "He even sat beside me in class. And he was nice to me and everything".

"Because he liked you or because you were a princess?" Musa questioned.

"Honestly, everything considered I totally think he just liked me," Stella said. "Unfortunately for me, he didn't like me that way. He just wanted to be friends".

Techna winced a bit, before saying: "That's just how it goes sometimes".

"Well, he already had a girlfriend at that time, a girl named Kimberly," Stella continued. "She wasn't a royal or even a noble, but she was kind and beautiful, so she was totally popular. Then came the big Solar Festival. A huge event where almost everyone went and people danced. Hundreds of relationships blossomed at that festival".

"Let me guess, you wanted to invite Robby to that festival despite him already having a girlfriend?" Bloom guessed.

"I know now that it was totally selfish," Stella said with a shrug. "But Kimberly had broken her leg shortly before the festival and I thought that meant that it was my big chance to grab my true love out of her claws".

"You're right. That is pretty selfish," Musa stated. "Did you also handcuff him or something?"

"No, no, tots nothing like that," Stella said while shaking her head. "No, instead of finding someone to dance with, he just sat with Kimberly the entire day and kept her company. I remember being so mad. How could he be with her when I was not only more in love with him, but also capable of dancing". After a moment, the blonde added: "As I said, I am fully aware how totally selfish that was. But soon after I moved on and I learned a couple of things".

"So this is where we get to the touted morale of the story?" Musa asked.

"Yep. First of all, I, like, learned that you tots can't force love," Stella said. "Has to come naturally. Secondly, I realised that if Robby really had been, like, willing to abandon his girlfriend just because her leg broke, then he really wouldn't have made for a good boyfriend no matter how much I had fallen for him".

"Now that was a cute little story," Techna said with a grin. "Anybody else got one?"

"How about that one time Bloom beat up a noblewoman because she thought she was a witch in disguise," Musa suggested with a grin.

"Oh no, you don't," the Dominian princess warned her.

"Really? What happened?" Aisha asked.  
>"See, it all started with..." Musa began, but was cut off by a pillow that suddenly collided with her face.<p>

"PILLOW FIGHT!" Techna yelled excitedly.

"Oh no," Stella sighed, seconds before a pillow hit her.

...

Jared sighed and walked outside, hoping the cool night air would help. He had been excused from all his duties at Red Fountain so he could stay at Alfea and make an article about the simulator. It was supposed to be simple. Then he ran into Musa, fell for her from the start and was rejected a couple of hours later. Rationally, he knew that the best thing he could do was get over it and accept Musa as a possible friend. Unfortunately, his emotions refused to get with the program, constantly causing him to speculate on what he could have done or not done to have given himself better options. This was not at all helped by the fact that Musa participated in the exercise, so now he had to be reminded of the whole thing all the way through. Worst part was that it was a futile exercise. It was already in the past and there wasn't a lot he could do about it.

"You look like somebody who has issues," came a feminine voice and Jared looked up to see a female student with neon-green hair walk up to him with a concerned expression.

"Nah, just got some heartache," he replied, trying to sound dismissive of the whole thing. "It'll be over again in a couple of days, tops".

"Ah, got the hots for somebody who rejected you," the girl said understandingly. "I can imagine that must hurt".

"Yeah," the journalist sighed.

"So, planning on trying to win her over?" the student asked.

"No way. I know better than to bug a girl like that," Jared replied. "She said she wasn't interested. Doubt she's going to get more interested by me being a pain in the ass".

"Really? Maybe you just need the right thing to convince her," the girl suggested, fishing for something in her pocket. "Maybe something like this". She held up a black gemstone in string.

"Oh, that is pretty nifty," Jared admitted, eyeing the stone.

"Also very rare. Just the thing to impress a girl," the student insisted and held the amulet out.

Jared took it into his hand and stared at it for a moment. "Nah, I think I'll just leave her be," he said and tried to hand it back.

But his arm refused to move.

Suddenly, Jared could feel a strange burning travel up his arm, as his fingers curled around the black stone. He despairingly tried to rip the obsidian object out of his grasp with his other hand, but he couldn't pry his fingers off. The burning sensation travelled into his chest and spread to his limps. He could feel his arms and legs stiffen as a foreign presence took over. He tried to scream but the invader already controlled his lungs. The burning rushed up through his neck and took his mouth. He went deaf as the burning took his ears and blind when it got his eyes. And then all sense of anything disappeared as his mind was engulfed in darkness.

"Well?" Darcy asked, still disguised as a student. "Did it work?"

"Absolutely fantastic," Darkar said, stretching Jared's body as he got a feel for it. "This body will allow me to get the big scoop and get all the dirt on those girls".

"What?" Darcy asked, noting a subtle change in her employer's behaviour.

"Yes, those hacks think they can out-snoop me," Darkar declared. "But I'm going to turn them into my winning headline. Come, to the simulation room".

"Why?" Darcy asked as she followed him onto the school.

"Because tomorrow, the big news won't be 'teen girl superstars win test'," Darkar in Jared's body claimed. "It'll read 'teen girls die horribly going up against the Shadow Phoenix'. It'll make national news. It'll be the scoop of the century".

"Because hey, _we_ never did anything like that," Darcy muttered. "I think they installed some security features to prevent something like that from happening again".

"Oh, Darcy," Darkar said, shaking Jared's head. "That just means they think they're safe". His face lit up in an unpleasant smile. "But few people know how to deal with me".

"Ain't that the truth," Darcy commented.

...

The next day, the girls had assembled in the simulator room along with their classmates. DuFour was busy at the panel, while both Palladium and Avalon stood ready to observe.

"Alright, the test is very simple," the elf explained to the assembled students. "You will be deposited in a simulated glade and your job will be to use all members of your group's knacks together. No specific goal in mind. Just let loose and be creative".

"Though if you somehow manage to produce enough magical energy to risk overloading the equipment, we will tell you so before you cause any damage to the machinery," Avalon noted.

"Geez, somebody looks completely down," Techna quietly commented and nodded in the direction of Jared. He was standing in the corner, arms crossed, passively looking at his feet.

"Should I say anything?" Musa asked.

"Yes, but I advise that you wait until after the test," Flora said. "In case he has a powerful emotional reaction. It would be best not to disrupt yourself right before the test".  
>"I suppose I can just chat with him afterwards," Musa remarked. "Hope our team gets picked early. I don't like the idea of having hurt him".<p>

"And the first team has been selected," DuFour said and looked away from the screen. "Bloom, Aisha, Techna, Flora and Musa will be the first to go in".

"Well, you got your wish," Techna commented as they headed into the simulator room.

The amber panels lit up as the girls were held in anti-gravity bubbles. The world around them shifted, until they stood in the middle of a shadowy forest, thick mist curling around their legs and obscuring everything beyond a few meters.

"Ehm, professors. It was a super happy funtime glade you promised, not the set of a slasher movie," Techna called out.

"DuFour, did you load the right program?" they heard Palladium's voice.

"I'm trying to load the right environment, but the machine is not responding," they heard DuFour's voice.

"Oh no, not again," both Bloom and the red-clad teacher sighed simultaneously.

"So sorry for the dread setting, heroines," they heard a voice echo between the trees. "But for our first proper meeting, a sunny glade would just clash with the scene. No, these grim woods will be the perfect set for our meeting".

"Who's there?" Musa asked challengingly, drawing her fans. "Come out where we can see you".

A hoarse cry rang out and a bird made of black flames ascended over the treetops, before it plunged into the ground, forming into a swirling vortex of obsidian fire. "I am the lord of Shadowhaunt," the voice dramatically echoed from the flames. "The master of darkness, wielder of the..."

"You must be Darkar," Techna realised.

The flames were silent for a moment, before anti-climatically going out with a puff, revealing the desiccated form of the Shadow Phoenix. "Yes, I'm Lord Darkar," he said a smidgen displeased. "And you just interrupted my introduction".

"Oh, sorry," Techna said. "Just do your thing then".

"No, no, the chance has passed," Darkar sighed. "Anyway, I am the great villain, Lord Darkar, as mentioned before, and I have come to deal with the intrepid heroines who have been a thorn in my side for so long".

"We have?" Bloom questioned.  
>"Wa... Of course you have," Darkar insisted. "You broke into my realm and freed the prisoners, interfered with both of my attacks on Red Fountain and prevented the poisoned pixies from going home. How is that not being a thorn in my side?"<p>

"He has got a point there," Flora noted.

"And now it's finally my chance to deal with the five of you and your sidekick," Darkar declared. "I will... Wait, where's the blonde one?"

"Stella? She isn't in here," Musa said. "And I doubt she's going to come running just because you want her to".

"Hey, just curious. Who's the sidekick again?" Techna asked.

"Why, the much weaker princess you're all trying to teach the magic of friendship," Darkar said, gesturing to Aisha. "At first I was sure she was the story's heroine, but when I saw her with all of you, I realised she was the new kid in your heroine ensemble. Weaker, less experienced, will appeal to the girl demographic".

"We have demographics?" Techna questioned, scratching her head.

"This has to be the stupidest conversation I've ever participated in," Musa groaned, rubbing her temples. "How could a complete loon like you ever be a danger to the multiverse?"

"Incredible dark powers, hordes of loyal mooks, villainous credentials, competent minions and awesome character design," Darkar listed, counting on his fingers. "Anyway, I realise that you're stalling, hoping that your teachers can get you out, but it's not going to happen".

...

"So both the emergency shutdown switches have been pulled," Avalon started. "The power has been turned off and we've just finished cutting every single cord we could get to through the panels. And the machine is...?"

"Still running optimally," DuFour rambled as she ripped the control pad off. "There must be something that will make this thing stop".

"Yeah, this is bad," Avalon stated.

...

"Actually, I could see how it would work," Techna said enthusiastically. "Bloom is the fish out of water who discovers she's a princess and has OP magic powers".

"A classic," Darkar confirmed.

"Then I'm the group's streetwise mechanic, Flora is the business-minded woman who's one with nature, Musa is the snarky artist and Stella comes in as the really girly girl. Then we have Aisha as the tag-along princess. See, it makes sense".  
>"M'm not a tag-along," Aisha muttered.<p>

"No. No it doesn't," Musa groaned. "I can't believe you're actually agreeing with that madman. What's wrong with you?"

"Plus, you cannot reduce people to a couple of easily memorized catchy titles," Flora insisted.  
>"Well, maybe not. But it could give you a general idea of a real person," Bloom argued.<p>

"I can't believe we're still having this conversation," Musa said exasperated. "Why are we even having this discussion?"

"Mostly to pass time until Stella pops in," Darkar said. "Wouldn't be a proper showdown until she's here".  
>"There's not going to be a showdown," Musa insisted. "They're going to find some way to kick you out and pull us to safety".<p>

"Again, don't count on it," Darkar said.

...

"It's not working," Palladium said frustrated. "Whatever has infected the machine cannot just be purified. It's not a curse, not an enchantment, not a corruption. I don't know what it is".

"We gotta figure something out soon," Avalon insisted. "They're trapped in there with that vile lunatic. The longer this takes, the more danger they're in".

"Maybe Jared knows something about what's wrong with the machine," DuFour suddenly said. "He was in here when I arrived".

Everyone in the room turned to Jared, whom was still standing in the corner, arms folded.

"Are you okay?" Palladium asked and grabbed his shoulder. The boy immediately collapsed, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"What's wrong?" Avalon asked as Palladium cradled the boy.

"Something has ravaged his body. He needs medical attention, now," Palladium said. "Avalon, go get Faragonda. Maybe she can help".

...

...and then she said that she thought it was hand-cranked," Darkar said, causing Techna to laugh.

"Ah, classic tech diss," the scarred girl said happily.

"I'm happy you two are getting along so well ," Musa grumbled, sitting on the forest floor.

"Well, a valuable skill is being able to be on friendly terms with people you don't like," Aisha pointed .

"WE'RE NOT AT SOME FANCY DINNER PARTY. WE'RE TRAPPED IN SIMULATED REALITY BY A PSYCHOPATH!" Musa yelled. "THE ONLY REASON HE HASN'T RIPPED US TO SHREDS IS THAT HE HOPES STELLA WILL JUMP IN HERE!"

"But he's funny," Techna said.

"Yes, so delightfully quirky," Musa grumbled darkly. "Almost makes you forget about all those people he's gotten killed so far".

"Hmm, point taken," Techna said.

"Alright, this is taking far more time than necessary," Darkar insisted. "I will not allow my dramatic confrontation to be replaced by pointless padding and filler. Either Stella show up in five minutes or we'll start the battle without her".

...

"Did you hear that?" Stella asked. "He'll attack them in five minutes".

"Still no idea how to force him out?" Palladium asked Faragonda.

"No. His magic is... Unique," the headmistress said as she investigated the device. "I suspect the easiest way to break his control is from inside the simulation. But if he controls it, it also means he chooses who can go in".

"Which means he will probably only let Stella in," Avalon sighed.

"Then I have to," the Solarian blonde insisted. "I can't just let them be massacred by that maniac".

"I don't like this," Faragonda said. "It shouldn't be necessary for my students to jump into deadly situations, while we teachers stand helplessly on the sideline".

"Nonetheless, this is the best option," Avalon said. "Her presence will increase their chance of survival".

"And it is my choice," Stella said and tugged at the door. "I'm going in".

Faragonda sighed and said: "Be careful, Stella. We will continue our attempts to break Darkar's control from out here".

...

"Ah, the final star of the story has arrived," Darkar said as Stella's form manifested beside the others. "Now, the heroes are ready, the villain is here, the audience awaits. Let's give them a show they'll never forget". Great balls of dark fire charged up in his hands.

"I hope you didn't expect a minute to get oriented," Musa exclaimed as she grabbed the confused blonde by the collar and dragged her out of the way, as Darkar flung his massive fireballs after the girls. Grass and wood was scorched as the bleak flames consumed everything.

"You want to play with fire," Bloom called. "Here you go". A plume of flames streamed out of her hand and collided with a shield of black water that had been summoned by Darkar.

"Nice try. But you didn't even manage to make a scorch-mark," Darkar taunted and lifted his hand. A black icicle formed, which he hurled after the redhead. Bloom barely dodged, the ice opening a wound in her shoulder as it passed her by.

Musa jumped out from a tree and charged the Shadow Phoenix's back. She swung her folded fans at his head, but Darkar quickly turned and grabbed her wrist.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want to surprise me," he said, before grabbing one of her legs with his other hand and hurled her through the air. Musa collided with a tree and fell to the ground, air knocked from her lungs. Dark lightning snaked across the lord of Shadowhaunt's arms and he opened his palm, preparing to blast the downed fairy. At that moment, Techna hurled a smoke grenade at the forest floor, which obscured the black-haired girl. Darkar let several blasts of lightning loose, but when the smoke dissipated, he had only hit the tree.

Aisha jumped out from cover and tried to blast the Shadow Phoenix in the back. She concentrated, pulled water from the surrounding fog and splashed it against the dark lord.

Darkar just turned around and stared at her for a moment. Then he rubbed his chin and sagely nodded his head, all while saying to himself in a voice that indicated scientific confirmation: "Sidekick".

"I AM NOT A SIDEKICK!" Aisha angrily insisted, before Techna had to pull her back to cover to avoid a black fireball.

"That was close," Flora said as she helped Musa get up, having pulled the girl to safety by manipulating a root.

"Alright, direct attacks are not working so far," Musa said as she rubbed her back. "We need a plan".

"Yeah, that much is obvious," Techna said as she and Aisha hurried over to them. "But can you be more specific?"

Flora stared around at the various tress. "Tress have water," she stated.

"And the ground has rocks, but how's that going to help?" Musa snarked.

"Wait, I think I see where you're going," Techna said as she eyed Aisha.

Musa stared at the confused princess for a moment, before she said with sudden realization: "Of course".

Meanwhile, Stella jumped screaming over a big root as dozens of black icicles flew past her. She had so far managed to avoid any direct hits, but her clothes and skin were torn, burnt and bruised from several near hits. She gasped for breath as she hid behind a tree.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Darkar called and she could hear him walk through the undergrowth. "Was that sufficiently creepy or do I need to turn it up a notch?"

"No, that was creepy enough," Stella responded. She suddenly clasped her mouth shut with her hands in realization.

"Thanks for the feedback," Darkar responded. "That really helps. Also, DIE!"

Stella leapt from cover as a saw disk of black fire cut through the tree, sending it crashing to the ground. She dashed through the fog, firing a couple of lasers over her shoulder, though she was aware that she most likely didn't hit anything. She had no idea where her friends were, the thick fog hiding everything.

And then she suddenly saw a dash of red, moments before crashing into Bloom, causing the two to tumble to the ground. The Dominian princess had already charged fire up in her hand, when she realised it was just her friend.

"Please don't fire at me," the blonde squeaked as she eyed Bloom's flaming hand.  
>"Sorry, you scared me," Bloom said as she extinguished the flame. "I tried firing at him, but it didn't really work. Though I haven't yet really used the dragonflame, but..."<p>

"But what?" Stella asked.

"Well, what if I use so much of it that it hurts me, but it still doesn't work?" Bloom asked. "Then I'm done for and you'll down one team member. Speaking of which, where are everybody else?"

"No idea. This damned fog is hiding everyone," Stella said as she peaked out of cover. "I can't even see where Darkar is".

"Don't worry," Musa said from behind them, causing both Bloom and Stella to jump. "I know where he is".

"Please don't ever do that again," Bloom gasped. "Sorry for the language, but I almost crapped my pants".

"Sorry. But I can navigate by sound," Musa said. "Follow me. We have a plan".

"HELLO. WHERE IS EVERYBODY?!" Darkar called as he stomped through the woods. "THIS IS A DRAMATIC BATTLE, NOT A DRAMATIC GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK!" He sighed and said to himself: "Maybe I should have gone with the sunny meadow". He tapped his armoured foot for a bit. "OH NO, A SPECK OF DUST GOT IN MY EYE! I HOPE NOBODY AMBUSHES ME!" he yelled. After a few moments, his shoulders sagged. "ALRIGHT, SERIOUSLY, WHERE ARE YOU ALL HIDING?!"

"Over here!" Musa called.

Darkar turned and sighed in relief as he saw Bloom, Stella and Musa. "For a moment there, I thought we would have to call do-over. Now, where were we?"

"You were about to get your butt kicked," Stella warned him.  
>"Ah, heroic bravado," Darkar said happily as he stomped towards them. "Good to see. Not that it will save you. This is the end of you, heroines. I, Darkar, the lord of Shadowhaunt, will..." The rest of his sentence was cut short by ominous creaking, followed by a giant wooden hand smashing him into the ground. "Okay... That hurt," came the Shadow Phoenix's muffled admission.<p>

"Now, charge the spell," Musa called, as she, Bloom and Stella began mixing their magic into one fusion spell. "Bloom, use your dragonflame. Charge it as much as possible".

As they did, Bloom could feel the energy rush through her. An almost euphoric smile started spreading on her face as she dove deep into her happy memories to power herself as much as possible. A certainty of victory filled her, along with one of righteousness. All her worries faded as defeating Darkar ceased to be merely a necessity, but became the very best thing to do at the moment.

The wooden hand started burning, where after it exploded in a black inferno as Darkar burst free. "Alright, nice move. You dented my armour. But now..." He froze, as he realised the girls were charging another spell. The air was thick with energy. "OH NO, YOU DON'T!" he roared and flung another barrage of black icicles at them.

"FRY HIM!" Bloom yelled as she and her friends unleashed the spell. A solar flare burst from their hands in the form of a massive shock wave. The black icicles were annihilated, along with most of the forest. Realising the only way this scenario could end, Darkar cleared his throat, posed and dramatically declared: "THIS CANNOT BEEEE..." as he was reduced to less than ash by the wave.

...

Outside, the machine sparked and smoked as what was still working was overtaxed by the magic emission. With a final puff, the machine stopped working as the girls were freed from their simulated prison, the lot of them crashing to the bottom of the chamber.

Bloom winced as she starred at her hands, the fingertips burnt. "I might have overdone it," she hoarsely admitted.

"Don't care. Still alive," Musa mumbled.

...

"...and that's the last thing I remember," Jared said. "Sorry I couldn't be more useful".

"That's understandable," Faragonda said. "Thank you for your cooperation". She turned to the other teachers who had assembled in the hospital wing. "They're getting increasingly bold. This has been the second attack taking place on Alfea. I will have to request that Red Fountain send us some guards".

"Sad that that has to be necessary," Avalon added as they walked out of the hospital wing.

As they opened the door, Aisha and Musa slipped in.

"Oh, hey Musa," Jared said as he noticed the black-haired girl. "Sorry about almost getting all of you killed".

"You were possessed by Darkar. Not your fault," the black-haired girl said. "Just be careful about fondling any suspicious jewellery in the future".

"I'll keep that in mind," Jared chuckled. "Hey, does your offer of hanging as friends still stand?"

"Sure," came the reply.

"Then I'd like to take you up on it," the journalist said. "Well, once I'm out of my hospital bed".

"Sounds good. See you around," Musa said as she and Aisha continued on to where Bloom was.

"Are you okay?" Aisha asked the redhead.

"Well, I feel fine, but Ophelia just wants to make sure I haven't caused any internal damage," the Dominian princess said, scratching her recently healed fingertips. "So, I guess we passed the test".

"Well, it wasn't really a test, just training," Musa pointed out. "And Palladium said that the only thing we lacked was the five of us making a spell together, but otherwise it was a very impressive performance".

"He also warned us not to expect that this meant we had mastered fusion spells," Aisha brought up. "Because being united in survival is in fact very easy. He wanted to see us able to do it under less life-threatening circumstances, since that was the point of the exercise in the first place".

"Well, they'll have to fix the simulator first. Again," Musa pointed out. "So, what, you're going to wreck that thing once a year or something?"

"I really hope not," Bloom said. After a moment, she added: "But at least we know one thing". A smirk formed on her face as she said: "We can beat Darkar".

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Musa realised. "That's really good to know".

"By the way, Flora asked if we wanted to have another of those mini-parties," Aisha said.

"Sounds great," Bloom said. "It was fun the last time".

"Yeah, gotta say, you're really proficient with a pillow," Musa brought up.

Aisha smiled happily at the thought of having another party with her... Well, she supposed they were her friends now.

...

"Well?" Darcy asked.

"Well, what?" Darkar responded. The two of them had met up in his throne room, were the Shadow Phoenix was usually residing.  
>"Well, what was the point?" Darcy asked, having read through a recently arrived report. "Red Fountain guards are now patrolling the area, the 'heroines' are more confident than ever and just about everybody knows you're going after the Alfea Codex next. Well, what was the point?"<p>

"Does there have to be a point besides the joy of a dramatic conflict?" the Shadow Phoenix asked.

Darcy tapped her foot. "No, I'm not buying it," she finally said. "You're out of your mind, but you're not stupid. You got some sort of endgame set up and you haven't done anything without wanting something accomplished. You've lost a couple of times, yes, sometimes even intentionally. But you have avoided overextending our resources or showing our hand to the enemy. So I repeat my question. What. Was. The. Point?"

Darkar's scorched lips twisted into a smile. "Very well, Darcy. Since you are so curious. Our enemies are right now focused on big bad monster attacks from the outside. I now know better than ever our protagonists' capabilities and they think they can beat me after tangling with a fragment of my power. Does that sound like a gain to you?"

Darcy mulled over it for a second. "Yes," she finally admitted. "It actually does".

"Also, all those people who know I'm going after Alfea next," Darkar added. "They're wrong".


	13. The Bad Hair Gang

Chapter 13: The Bad Hair Gang

Aisha looked around. She was pretty sure she was at a dinner party back home. Something was off about it, though she couldn't put a finger on it. Maybe it was the staff swinging from the chandelier. Maybe it was the loud music her parents would never tolerate. Maybe it was the food that was being hurled all over the place.

"Princess, you're naked," somebody told her.

She briefly considered if that was what was so weird about this. She concluded that being naked at the dinner table was in fact weird. She would have to fix that afterwards.

Something poked her shoulder and she looked to the side to see Darkar.

"More cake, Your Mayonnaise?" he asked.

Darkness instantly consumed everything, which Aisha suddenly realised was because she was staring at the inside of her eyelids. She briefly forced them open, glanced at the clock and rolled over with a groan to continue sleeping.

A couple of rooms over, Flora lay in her bed, glancing at the ceiling. She was trying to remember something she had wanted to do. Suddenly remembering, she turned her head and asked: "So how you feel about being a model?"

Mirta turned her head to look at her and asked: "You mean for Helia and Bloom? It's kinda fun. Though I'm really not used to it".

"Being the subject of artistry or attention?" the brunette asked.

"Eh, both really," the redhead replied. "I mean, I never really thought of myself as somebody you'd paint pictures off".

"You give yourself too little credit," Flora stated.

"I know. But really, it's the attention that weirds me out at times," Mirta continued. "Not that I mind, really. I'm just much more used to being ignored. Even in Cloudtower and here on Alfea, I always seemed to manage to just be one with the background. A wallflower, if you will. Well, at least most people here don't accuse me of being damaged because I don't try to attract attention to myself".

"And now Helia and Bloom are making paintings of you," Flora added.

"Yep. As I said, it's weird," the redhead said. "But... Honestly, I kinda like it. Even if I still kinda need to get used to it".

"We really should ask Lucy if she wants to dance with you again one of these days," Flora noted, glancing at the picture on the wall. It was a coloured piece, the result of Bloom and Helia's artistic cooperation. "I think the picture they managed to make is fantastic".

"I'd like too," Mirta yawned. "He's a nice guy. And him and Bloom really..." She interrupted herself to yawn again. "Really make some interesting pieces".

"You sound like someone who is ready to sleep," Flora noted a bit amused.

"Yeah. Good thing we can sleep in tomorrow," Mirta noted. She gave her girlfriend a kiss, said goodnight and rolled over on her side to sleep.

Flora glanced at her, smiled a bit, before closing her own eyes and sinking into the darkness of sleep.

...

The next morning, Bloom sat in the dining hall, once again appreciating how much better the food was when SeFogelia was present. A fact that she had ensured to tell him once he came back from sick leave, a remark that seemed to cheer the cook up immensely.

The redhead glanced around the hall for a moment, noting how empty it was. This wasn't unusual on the students' days off. They usually wandered in whenever they manage to roll out of bed. Which meant weekend breakfast was usually something SeFogelia could easily keep warm for a couple of hours until everybody had had a chance to both sleep in and get breakfast.

As Bloom bit off part of what could be a type of sausage, Stella, Musa and Aisha joined her by the table. "'Morning, girls," Bloom greeted them.

"Good morning to you too," Stella said as she sat down with her breakfast. "So, any plans for today?"

"Well, I was planning on going home today and staying overnight," Bloom replied. "Might even be better weather than here. If nothing else, it'll at least be a bit warmer".

Outside, a cold wind was pelting the school with sleet.

"It kinda does suck, yeah," Musa added. "So, when you're saying home, you mean Earth, right?"

"Yep. Talked with Faragonda about it and everything," the redhead said. "We agreed that I've been away from Earth long enough. I mean, I call my parents and friends pretty often, but it's just not the same".

"I can see that," Stella said, rubbing her chin. "Hey, could I come with you?"

"Why?" the redhead asked curiously.

"Well, first of all, I'd love to check out Earth again. Haven't had much time to look around the last couple of times I visited," Stella added. "Plus, less risk of a repeat of what happened last time, if I go with you".

"Last time?" Aisha asked.

"You remember those three witches from Cloud Tower?" Musa asked. "The ones behind the Usurper Crisis. Well, they tracked down Bloom while she was on Earth and stole the dragonflame from her".

"Really rather nasty business," Stella added.

"Well, if you want to get technical, they only stole the energy that I had stored," Bloom added. "But other than that pedantic note, yeah, that happened. Also been involved in stopping a harassment campaign against my mother's shop that ended with a big fire and the ogre attack that started it all".

"Going with you sounds better and better," Stella dryly added.

"Yeah, I'd like a visit home without everything going crazy," Bloom remarked. "Would make for a nice chance". She pondered for a moment. "I'm starting to understand why living in interesting times is considered a Chinese curse".

"No kidding. You'd think last year was bad enough, but now we got that Darkar fellow running around and making a mess of things," Musa noted.

"Hey, at least we know we can take Darkar in a fight," Stella said with a shrug. "If only through our fusion spells".

"We still do need to get better at that," Aisha added. "While minor damage to the classroom is to be expected, I don't think they appreciated us breaking all windows on the south side of the building".

"Still better than almost setting the teacher on fire," Musa added with a smirk.

"I wonder if there are circumstances where throwing food at others is considered acceptable," Bloom pondered loudly.

"Nah, I checked the rules," Stella added. "There's even a specific sub-rule that says that provocative students aren't a justification for breaking rules".

"Says a lot that they got a rule about that," Musa commented. "Anyway, would you mind terribly if I tagged along for the Earth trip? I haven't really got anything better to do".

"Why not," Bloom replied. "We'll just need to ask Faragonda about it. Hey, how about you, Aisha? Would you like to come with us too?"

"I have nothing else to do and little desire to remain here alone," Aisha stated.  
>"I'll take that as a yes," the redhead dryly stated with a smile. "Still, we gotta ask Faragonda first and make sure it's okay".<p>

"What about Flora and Techna?" Musa asked.  
>"Flora's out with Mirta and Techna is out with Timmy," Stella added. "I would have been out with Brandon if I could, but he's kinda busy this weekend".<p>

"It's nice to know that we can serve as backup entertainment when you boyfriend isn't available," came Musa's snarky reply.

"Hey, what about the pixies?" Bloom brought up. "Maybe they'd like to come with us".

"Well, they have stayed cooped up here in Alfea for a while," Aisha said. "They've been kinda afraid of a repeat of the homesickness incident".

"Still, as repetitious as it sounds, we should ask Faragonda if it's okay to bring them along," Musa added. "There might be something we're not considering".

"Well, it can't hurt to ask," Bloom commented with a shrug.

...

With a blink of light, the girls found themselves in an alley in Gardenia.

"Huh. Doesn't look that different to me," Tune commented while looking around. "Though it does feel a bit... Off".

"It's probably the low amount of magic," Bloom commented. "You should all probably expect some side-effects in a couple of hours".

"Side-effects?" Aisha questioned.

"Well, I start seeing auras and get really tired, plus I can do less magic," Bloom explained. "Speaking of magic, we should all do what we can to not cast any while we're here".

"Because of the Black... What was it again?" Livy asked.

"The Black Circus if I remember correctly," Piff stated.

"No, Black Circle," Bloom corrected. "And we don't know if it's them. But what we do know is that somebody is very good at noticing when something magical happens around here. And my parents aren't sure they're the trustworthy types".

"Alright, no magic, gotcha," Stella said.

"Also, you pixies should probably stay hidden until we're home," the redhead continued. "You can probably hide in one of our bags without any trouble".

"Ah, joyous freedom. Really looked forward to finally get outside and get stuffed in a bag," Amore quipped, as she and the other pixies dove into a bag Musa was carrying.

"You know, a pet cage would have been a more dignified way to transport us," Tune commented somewhat displeased.

"Sorry, but Faragonda really made it clear that we should not take any risks at all," Bloom said apologetically. "I promise you that as soon as we're home, you can fly around as much as you want".

"Speaking of home, how do we get there?" Aisha asked. "Do you have a chauffeur available?"

"Nope. We're taking public transport to Mom's shop and then we'll decide what to do from there," Bloom explained. "And don't worry about the money. I got enough for all of us".

"I assume the pixies are coming on board for free?" Musa questioned.

"Well... It is kinda necessary," Bloom admitted, scratching her neck. "Buying tickets for people that aren't there is just suspicious. I mean, I guess we could pretend they're dolls and buy for them, but you don't have to buy tickets for dolls and, they might think we're kinda crazy if we try something like that, but maybe then again, it's kinda going against the spirit of..."

"Bloom, breathe," Musa and Stella said simultaneously.

"Sorry," Bloom wheezed. "Guess I got kinda worried".

"Yeah. I was just making fun," Musa noted. "It's okay that the pixies go freeloader on this, especially if it's for everyone's' safety".

"It's rather rude to cheat the system like this," came Tune's muffled voice. "But it's even ruder to attract the eye of dangerous organizations. Also, someone better remove that foot from my face before I do it for them".

"I guess that settles it," Bloom said with a shrug. "Let's get going".

...

"Here we go," Techna said as she placed the two cups of cacao on the table. "Hot drinks for hot people".

"Thanks, Techna," Timmy said as he took one of the drinks. Outside, the world was grey as half-melted snow pelted the streets of Magicalis, filling it with sludge. "So, how do we handle the bill?" the bespectacled warrior continued. "I mean, does one of us pay or do we split it?"

"Eh, we both got enough money. Let's just split it," the scarred girl replied.

"Alright then. So, how have you been recently?" Timmy asked conversationally.

"Well, we're slowly progressing in fusion spells," Techna replied. "Still ways to go before we're reliable with it, but we can pull it off circa half the time. Still, the other half of the time, shit goes down. Or rather up. Last class, one of the chairs ended up being launched through the roof. Never did find it again".

"There are times when I'm kinda jealous of magi," Timmy admitted. "Then there are times like these were I'm just happy I don't have to bother with that sort of thing".

"It takes practise and patience," Techna added. "Got a lot of the former, not so much of the latter. Lot like your programming, really".  
>"I suppose I can see the similarities," the bespectacled boy replied. "Except I have yet to program a chair into the stratosphere".<p>

"That's why magic is so fun," Techna said with a grin.  
>"So, any new projects going on?" Timmy continued.<p>

"Well, still working on the wingpack," the scarred girl explained. "This time I'm making a miniature version so that if it goes crazy, it won't do as much harm as the last one. If it works, then I simply scale it up".

"Then let us hope nothing blows up this time," Timmy added. "On that note, I heard you tried to build an improvised cooling system".

"Yeah, I'm thinking I need to make it a closed system," Techna said. "Right now, I'm just wondering where I can get some liquid nitrogen".

Timmy stared at her for a few seconds, before sighing and saying: "May I suggest a better solution?"

"Sure, I'm always open to new ideas," Techna said before taking a sip of cacao.

"How about you use this?" he suggested, pulling something from his pocket. It was a small, square, black object. "A heatsink. My own family swears by this type's usefulness, so there's your seal of approval," Timmy continued. "Best of all, it can easily be plugged into up to five computers".

"Now that's awesome," Techna said enraptured and took the gift. She put it in her pocket and looked back at Timmy, a warm smile on her lips. "Now I almost feel bad about not having a gift for you".

"It's not about you having to repay me," Timmy said with a dismissive gesture of his hands. "I just don't want you getting hurt over such an easily fixed problem".

"Well, me or somebody else," Techna added. "I don't mind the occasional scrape, life's dangerous ya know. It's when I get others hurt that really gets to me. Like with Avalon. Boy, did I ever feel bad. I'm just happy he could forgive me".

"Still not found out why it did it?" Timmy asked.

"I have no clue," Techna admitted. "I mean, I don't have a lot to work with, since it kinda exploded, but still..."

"Weird. Maybe the mini version will provide some answers," Timmy suggested.

"Possibly," came the scarred girl's reply. "I've got the materials and plans ready. Only thing is that the teachers insist that I use the workshop for it, which means I can't work late into the night outside of weekends".

"Well, getting your rest is healthy for you," Timmy added.

"So are roos, if Flora is to be believed," Techna added. "Still taste like licking a brick".

"Is... Is that a metaphor or...?" Timmy questioned.

"Let's just say that drunk people do weird things," Techna added with a smirk.

...

Bloom walked out of the flower shop, looked both ways and then crossed the road to where her friends were waiting. In the distance she could see Gardenia Park, where autumn had coloured many of the trees distinct shades of yellow, red and orange. "Alright, I just talked with Mom," the redhead said. "Here's the plan. I'll go with her home and then we'll make things ready so you three will have somewhere to sleep for tonight. The question is if you'd rather come with me home or stay in town until later today, when me and my mom will pick you up in our car. But if you do stay out here until we come pick you up, you're going to spend a couple of hours in town".

"Do you have a shopping mall around here?" Stella asked. "Because if you got one of those, I won't have a hard time spending a couple of hours".

"There's one nearby. Right on the other side of the park," Bloom said and pointed. "Pretty hard to miss".

"Well, I'd like to get to check this world out a bit more too," Musa said with a shrug. "Last time I was here was pretty much five minutes of charging in and hauling you out".

"I for one would also like to check out the local fashion," Aisha offered.

"That reminds me, your money won't work here," Bloom continued. "So Mom offered to lend you some money and Faragonda was willing to help out with exchanging your own nummi so you can pay her back. Not the most elegant solution, I know, but it's the best we can do as it is. Just try not to go completely shopping crazy and it should work out".

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on the shopaholics," the black-haired girl offered.

"Well in that case, we'll just need to discuss with Mom how much money you'll be lending," Bloom said and turned around.  
>"Actually, we're waiting for the pixies," Musa said. When Bloom turned around, the black-haired musician quickly added: "And before you say anything, they insisted and threatened to set the inside of my bag on fire, if I didn't give them five minutes to breathe. Apparently, the leathery smell was quite uncomfortable".<p>

"Besides, they'll be in the park. Plenty of places to hide," Stella added. "And you said there weren't any dangerous animals in the area".

"I hope you're right," Bloom sighed.

"Don't worry," Musa said. "They know better than to just stop up and talk with any random person they run across".

...

"Do a princess," the little girl said eagerly.

"Alright, here we..." Amore said and twirled. "Go," she finished, now clad in an incredible pink and elaborate dress, a golden and ornate crown on her head.

"A clown, a clown," the girl eagerly requested, jumping up and down.

"Alright, just give me a second to catch my breath," Amore said. Changing her costumes did drain her and she was starting to feel the effects of the low magic.

"What part of remaining hidden was it that involved putting on a show?" Tune asked. "Please remind me, because I certainly can't remember".

"I'm just having some fun," Amore said, twirling into a clown costume. "I so rarely get requests".

"You could have stayed behind with the others if you're so worried about being seen," Piff suggested.

"Somebody has to keep an eye on you four," Tune stated. "And as the responsible one, it's only natural that I take up that burden".

Glim added to the conversation by rolling her eyes at the proclamation.

"She's the responsible one?" Livy asked, genuinely curious.

"She certainly likes to think so," Amore added, having changed into a catgirl costume. Tune just huffed in response. "Alright, last costume. I'm running low on energy".

"Then I want... Hmm," the girl said, looking ponderous. She had many ideas for what she wanted her new pixie friend to turn into, but knowing that she only had one left made it hard. "How about you choose," she suggested.

"Alright, if I had to choose... Then... I got it," Amore said. She twirled, now clad in her marching band uniform, complete with several instruments. She landed on the ground and started playing an energetic song, which the little girl eagerly clapped to while giggling.

"Somebody's coming," Livy warned the others. "We better hide, now".

"Sorry, concert's over," Amore offered apologetically, before diving into the bushes.

Seconds later, a couple of police officers walked down the path. "Hey, are you Sandra?" one of them asked.

"Mmm," the girl responded in confirmation.  
>"You mother is worried about you," the other said. "Wondered where you had gone off to".<p>

"Huh?" the girl responded and checked her wristwatch. "Oh no, I forgot the time".

"Heh, figures. Don't worry, that happens kiddo," the first said. "Come, we'll take you back to your mom".

"So what did you do out here that was so interesting?" the other officer asked conversationally.

"I played with some fairies," Sandra said excitedly.

"Heh, that's cute," the first cop said. "Well, say goodbye to the faeries then. You can play with them another day".

"'Bye fairies," the girl called, as she followed the officers.

"Well, the terminology is wrong, but the gesture is appreciated," Tune said as she popped out of a bush. "So, can we go back now? I don't fancy another close call like that".

"Sure... Just... Give me a moment," Amore said out of breath. She had changed back into her usual pink dress. "I need to... Catch my... Breath".

"Using so much magic in such a drained area turned out to be a bad idea," Tune said sarcastically. "Who could possibly have known?"

"Own fault," Glim stated in agreement.

"Please... Both of you... Can it," Amore responded.

...

"So this is an Earth mall," Stella stated as she, Musa and Aisha walked down the long, white hall, shops on both sides and curved glass above letting sunlight into the mall. "It's very... Actually, it's very much what I would expect a shopping mall to be".

"Well, I guess there are only so many ways you can group a lot of shops together," Musa said with a shrug.

"So, what do we look for first?" Aisha asked.

"I suggest we go around and get a feel for what this money Vanessa gave us can get us," Musa replied. "Figure out what's cheap and not so cheap. Don't want to waste this, after all".

"It's weird, knowing how rich we are and yet it means so little here," Aisha noted.

"How rich some of us are," Musa corrected the brunette a tinge annoyed.

"Anyway, I suggest we go get a feel of the prize of clothes," Stella interjected, cutting off any potential arguments.

"We should probably also check out what sort of fastfood they have around here," Musa added, as the three of them continued their walk down the mall. "We're going to be here for a couple of hours at the very least, so I imagine we'll be hungry at some point".

"Alright, sounds like we have a plan," Stella said.

"Hey, you three," a rough male voice said and the girls turned to see a police officer march over to them. "Shouldn't you three be in school?"  
>"Should we?" Stella asked confused.<p>

"I don't know. You tell me," the man said, tapping his foot. "Because it certainly ain't weekend yet according to my calendar".

"Ah, I see. You suspect that we are dodging our responsibilities," Aisha stated. "No worries, good sir, we have permission to be here".

"Really?" The officer said a bit sceptically. "What school are you from?"

"Alfea," Aisha said. The two other girls just focused on looking like that was true. It was, but neither were certain that they should tell this guy, though they did also realise that any backtracking at this point would most likely lead them into trouble.

"Alfea, huh. Haven't heard of it," the officer said, scratching his chin.

"We notice a lot of people around here haven't," Aisha said and pulled a phone from her pocket. "But scheduling meant we had a couple of days off, so we went to Gardenia with a good friend of ours, who has family in town. If you want more proof, I'll be more than happy to call our headmistress".

The officer scratched his head, as if trying to remember something, before asking: "So who is this friend of yours?"

"Bloom Peterson," Aisha stated.

"Ah, yes. Daughter of the flower-shop owner," the officer realised. "I've seen her and her mom there a couple of times, chatted with them a bit. I do remember them sending their kid off to some out of town university or school. Alright, I guess it checks out. You have a good day now".

"Likewise," Aisha said and waved goodbye as the officer left.

"Well... That went better than expected," Musa said. "You handled that pretty smoothly".

"Well, in these kinds of situations, you want to seem open and give them enough information to build a picture of their own. If that picture makes sense they won't ask any more questions, enabling you to keep whatever you want hidden," Aisha explained. "It's a fairly standard tactic when it comes to making trades and deals".

"Huh. Maybe there's something useful to be learnt from those royal studies after all," Musa mused.

"Yeah. It's just a bit well hidden," Stella admitted as the three moved on.

...

Aisha stared at her burger. Then her eyes turned to her fries. Then she looked at her companions, who were sitting on the other side of the table.  
>"Well?" Musa asked. "What's wrong?"<p>

"We didn't get any cutlery," Aisha said confused.

Stella glanced around the fastfood place they had walked into. "Nobody's using cutlery. Just use your hands".

Aisha stared at her food, then at her hands.

"Don't worry, it's not acidic," Musa commented. "And if you do get something on your dainty princess hands, you can clean them in the bathroom".

"But eating with your hands is just... So uncivilised," Aisha argued. "Plus, you'll get dirty real fast".

Musa just sighed in response.

"Well, most of this looks somewhat familiar," Stella stated as she finished inspecting the layers of the burger. "Not sure what all of it is, but it looks somewhat like stuff I've had before".

Musa took an experimental bite and after swallowing it, said: "Tastes fine in my opinion". She glanced at Aisha, who still hadn't touched her food. "Seriously, did your parents tell you that you would die if you touched food?"

"You remind me of Anne," Aisha quietly said. "She would always question everything. Nothing was ever just what it was to her. She would poke and prod everything I had been taught, and I... I could never answer her questions".

"Maybe there's a reason for that," Musa commented.

"But I'm a princess," Aisha argued. "There are certain precepts and rules I have to follow. It's part of being a princess... No, part of being a royal".

"But you don't know why it is," Musa stated.

"Look, Aisha, I'm a princess too, right?" Stella brought up. "And I know what to do with fancy dinners and such. But this isn't a fancy dinner. It's just fastfood. There's a time and a place for those rules and this isn't it".

"I don't think my parents ever said anything about when the rules won't be applying," Aisha argued.

"Look... Okay, first off, I'm not trying to insult your parents," Musa said, with as much patience as she could muster. "But maybe, just maybe, your parents never envisioned you being outside of the royal life. Maybe they've never been so themselves. But Stella here has spent a lot of time both inside and outside the royal world. So I'd advise you to listen to her".

Aisha glanced at her friends, then at her burger. "I guess I could give it a try," she finally said and carefully picked the burger up.

...

"It's great to finally be home again," Bloom said as she entered through the door.

"I'm glad you think so," her mom said as she put some groceries on the kitchen table. "Now then, we'll go pick up your friends in... Let's say about three hours from now".

"Sounds fine," Bloom said. "Oh, and by the way, I should probably introduce you to the pixies". She opened the bag Musa had handed to her and the pixies immediately shot out.

"Thank goodness, I was starting to get cooked in there," Tune said. "Honestly, Musa should freshen that bag up with something".

"She'll have to if she ever expects us to hide inside that thing again," Piff commented.

"Mom, these are the pixies. Tune, Piff, Glim, Livy and Amore" Bloom said, the respective pixies bowing as their names were mentioned.

"Never expected I'd ever be visited by Tinkerbell," Vanessa commented. "Well, as long as you don't flatten any of our walls, we'll get along".

"Somebody flattened your walls?" Livy asked. "Walls are supposed to be upright".

"Yes. A couple of times," Vanessa said as she sat down by the kitchen table. "So, Bloom, how has school been?"

"School itself has been busy. We're learning a lot of new things," Bloom said as she too sat down by the table. "But it's not what's really been tiring me out".

"Oh?" her mother questioned.

"Remember the part where we found out I was actually a princess?" Bloom asked.

"Yeah, it was like one of your little girl fantasies come true," Vanessa chuckled.

"Yeah, except my fantasies never involved so much politics," Bloom commented. "I've gotten extra classes just to get me up to date with all the rules and social norms and such. It's a nightmare, let me tell you".

"If it gets too much, couldn't you just abdicate?" her mom questioned.

"Well, I guess I could," Bloom said. "But that would pretty much kill my royal line, or at least move the burden to my hypothetical kids. Or it could fling the responsibility over to some far off family and give them more power. I don't know, it's really complicated. So I'm not considering abdicating at this point". Bloom paused for a moment. "Plus, finding out I'm a princess has actually made me very rich, though most of it's frozen until I officially become a queen. I could actually do some good with that money. Both Techna and Musa have certainly come up with several suggestions".

"I suppose that would be the best way to handle it," Vanessa considered.

"But to get back to the subject of how annoying things are, remember Sky?" Bloom asked. "All that trouble I had with him? Solely because of said rules. Turns out, he was part of an arranged marriage he could barely talk about because he was undercover as a squire. And yes, it's as stupid as it sounds. He even admits to it".

"Well, that is certainly different from how things work around here," Vanessa agreed. "So, is he your boyfriend again?"

"Mooom. Not the point," Bloom responded a bit annoyed, her cheeks already flushing with colour.

"It's a parent's privilege to pick on their children," her mother responded with a cheeky smile.

"Well, speaking of boyfriends, if I ever do get one I will have to hold a press conference just to make sure I quell the worst rumours," Bloom sighed. "Honestly, I've had whole articles written about me based on random comments I've made".

"Such is the life of the famous I guess," Vanessa said with a shrug. "At least you're free from them here".

"Yes. It's just that being on Earth brings other problems," Bloom agreed. "Well, let's hope nothing goes horribly wrong this time. There are enough problems going around without us alerting those men in black types that keep dropping by".

...

"You want to go clubbing? This time of the day?" Musa asked as they walked down the road, noisy cars passing by. "Look, they've got cars with wheels. I wouldn't be surprised if they've also got nightclubs that are open in the middle of the day," Stella replied.

"Actually, there are clubs back in Magicalis that are open all day, for your information," Musa responded. "But my point is that there's probably not going to be a lot to do. You heard the officer back in the mall. Most people are most likely in school or at work at this time of day".

"I assume that by clubbing, you don't mean we will be beating people down with clubs," Aisha commented.

"No, that only happens if things go very wrong," Stella said.  
>"Or very right if you ask Techna," Musa added, shaking her head.<br>"But if the only issue is that the place will be light on people, then it will be the perfect opportunity to introduce Aisha to the concept," Stella argued. "Let her loosen up a bit. I think it could help".

"Eternally optimistic, aren't you?" Musa dryly quipped.

"Ah, there's the one I heard people mention," Stella said and pointed. Across the street was a large building with neon signs on the front, the soft thumps of a beat audible across the street. "Gardenia Dance Hall. Sounds just like what we need".

"Well... I guess it could be fun," Musa said with a shrug as they crossed the street. They walked up to the bouncer. "Hey, this place open?"

"Sure is," the either bald or clean-cut man responded.

"Wait, I just remembered I forgot to buy a souvenir for Brandon," Stella suddenly realised. "You two go in. I'll be right back". Then she charged off.

"Typical," Musa sighed. "First she's all 'Let's go to the club, please'. The moment we get here, she suddenly has to be elsewhere".

"So, does that mean you'll still be going in or...?" the bouncer questioned.

"Sure, why not," Musa responded.

They paid the entrance fee and entered the main room. Coloured lights illuminated the otherwise dark room, while thumping music played from the loudspeakers.

"I think they should get the lighting fixed," Aisha commented. "It's not even the right colour".

"Wrong, this is just how a club looks," Musa said. "Not that different from some of the clubs I've visited, to be honest".

"And... What do we do here?" Aisha asked as they made their way into the middle of room.

"We dance. Or have a drink. Or find a corner to sit and talk in," Musa said. "Honestly, just whatever you feel like, as long as it isn't against the rules. And I don't think I need to fear you breaking anything, least of all the rules".

"But I don't know any dances that go with this..." Aisha said, struggling to find the right word. Finding no word that could both describe the sound she heard and remain what a proper lady would say, she just went with: "Music".

"Just improvise," Musa suggested. "Like... See that guy over there? Does he look like he knows what he's doing?"

"Honestly, I was considering if he was having stroke," Aisha admitted.

Musa couldn't help but chuckle a bit, before saying: "This is about having fun and letting loose. You go a little bit nuts and improvise. I think you'll find that you like it".

"I can try," Aisha said a bit uncertain and shrugged.

Meanwhile, sitting around a table, several pairs of eyes followed the newly arrived.

"Hey, anybody seen those chicks around here?" one of them, a skinny boy with a red mohawk and a white suit, asked.

"Nope. Haven't seen them around town either," a burly and older teen with spiky blond hair said.

"Well, maybe we should go introduce them to the Gardenia Suits," the final one said. He was dressed in a smoking and had purple hair that looked like someone had bombed an afro.

...

"I wish it would really snow instead of this," Mirta sighed as she and Flora walked down the forest path. Around them, everything was wet, grey, muddy and covered in slowly rotting leaves.

"Patience. Let the temperature drop a bit more and we will surely see snow," Flora said comfortingly.

"I look forward to it," the redhead said. "I mean, I like winter and I like autumn. But between the two, there's this... Period of time where stuff's just really grey".

"I will admit, it is not the most aesthetically pleasing of sceneries," Flora said and nodded. "But it too will pass".

Suddenly, to both of their surprise, they saw Helia walk up the muddy path towards them.

"Hello Helia. What are you doing around here?" Flora asked conversationally.

"Oh, me? I was... Actually, I was looking for you. Both of you," Helia clarified, looking a bit nervous. "Was told back at Alfea that you had gone for a walk, you see".

"And you were looking for us because...?" Mirta asked, trying to help the nervous artist along.

"Well, I've been thinking... You know, maybe I should expand on my artistic capabilities," Helia started.

"I thought that was what you were doing by studying dynamics with Bloom," Flora brought up.

"It was. But I was thinking of... You know, maybe something beside painting," Helia continued. "So I... Well, I decided to try my hand at poetry... And I've made something. Nothing much, really. Just a line. But I wanted to hear if maybe you thought I was on to something".

"Would it not make more sense to write the entire piece of poetry before subjecting it to criticism?" Flora questioned, scratching her head.

"Let's just hear what he's got," Mirta added. "I actually really want to hear it".

"Right, so, I didn't know what to write about," the artist nervously rambled on. "So I finally just decided to make an ode to nothing".

"And what have you written?" Flora asked.

Helia cleared his throat and read aloud with as much drama as he could muster: "Nothing. Despite its definition, fewer words have more meaning".

Silence filled the half-frozen forest. The black-haired artist carefully peaked over the edge of the paper, trying to gauge their reactions.

"It is a start," Mirta said. "Just don't try to force it. Like your paintings, poetry must come from the heart".

"I'll... I'll keep that in mind," Helia continued. His cheeks were starting to flush.

"You must really value our input," Flora stated. "Considering that you came all the way out here to have us judge one line. That is actually pretty flattering, though I will suggest you make more before attempting to get our opinion next time. Might give us a better idea of what you are aiming for".

"I'll... Keep that in mind. Anyway, I must be off now. Stuff to do and such," Helia said and marched down the road.

"I notice he is starting to get easily flustered around us," Flora mused.

"He's just shy," Mirta giggled. "I can relate".

...

Musa made sure to keep an eye on Aisha as they danced. It was obvious that the brunette was completely unfamiliar with letting loose, awkwardly dancing from foot to foot and constantly trying to see if anybody was laughing or judging her. In a way, Musa started to feel sorry for her. Sure, her ignorance really hit a sore spot at times, but was that really Aisha's fault? It's not like she choose to be raised that way. And furthermore, Musa started to notice that the girl wasn't merely unwilling to step outside her appointed role as princess. She was almost completely incapable. The black-haired girl began to understand, at least a little, why Stella and Flora constantly tried to help her out of the box that had been built around her. Still, ignorance couldn't excuse all the princess' comments. One would think the girl would at least have learned some common sense. Or would she? Musa was actually unsure. Maybe she should look up how things work in Tides before judging the brunette too harshly.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice going: "Hey there, doll. New in town?"

Musa turned to see the Suit with purple hair walk over towards her, flanked by his two companions. "As a matter of fact, I am," she responded as she stopped dancing. "What's it to you?"

"Well, I happen to be the leader of the Gardenia Suits. No contest, the coolest gang in Gardenia," he said, his purple hair swaying all over the place. "So I decided to be nice and come say hi. Not everyday a pair of cuties like you two come marching into our little hangout".

"I suppose I should be flattered," Musa said dryly.

"If you feel like it," the Suit responded. "So, wanna come to our table? Feel free to bring your friend over there along, we won't mind".

"Oh really?" Musa asked with a provocative smirk. "Are you sure you can handle a girl like me?"

"Hah, babe, no insult meant, but I've hung with plenty of girls," the Suit leader said confidently. "And I know how to treat you. Don't think this is my first time to the rodeo".

"Well, that does explain what happened to your hair," Musa commented. "Guess that's why they call it a cowlick".

The two other Suits immediately burst into laughter, as their boss' grin stiffened.

"She got you there, boss," the scrawny one laughed, using his bigger friend for support.

"Well, you certainly got the trash talking down," the boss admitted. "Think you can back it up?"

"Depends. What do you have in mind?" Musa asked.

"A dance fight. Let's get a proper beat going so we can see who's really got the moves," the Suit boss said.

"You know what? You're on," Musa said with an enthusiastic grin. "Just don't be a sore loser when you get your ass handed to you by a girl".

"Babe, if you can actually out-dance me, you'll have earned my respect for a lifetime," the Suit leader responded. He turned to the DJ and called: "Yo, Thomas. Put on something with some real tempo. We're having a dance off".

"Got it, boss," the DJ responded.

Musa and the Suit entered the middle of the room as everybody else moved out of the way. They took a stance across from each other as the music stopped while the DJ found something with some go in it.

The black-haired musician quickly noted the sheer amount of people with wild hairdos and snazzy clothes. "Friends of yours?"

"The Suits stick together, even just to cheer," the leader replied.

"Alright, everybody get ready to party," the DJ said excitedly as he put the disk in. "Three, two, one, ROCK OUT!"

As the music started pumping, the two dancers immediately started moving. The Suit was somewhat traditional, his style based on mimicking music videos and learning from other challengers. He combined different move sets, switching style as the music changed tone.

Musa had no formal training in dancing, but knew how music worked and had enough martial training to know her body in and out. Her style was improvised, following the rhythm with twists and turns, as they seemed appropriate.

The music was varied, changing style and instruments quite often, though not randomly. There was a clear flow through it that allowed the dancers to comfortably change their style. People stood enraptured as the two of them squared off, improvisation meeting replication. The new and experimental versus the tried and true.

On the sideline, Aisha stared. Again, she couldn't help but think of Anne. She had also liked music and dancing. She had even insisted that Aisha danced with her, though there was never any of the style or routine from the dances Aisha had learnt. She remembered actually having a bit of fun just going with the flow. And as she watched them dance, she started realising what Musa had meant by just letting loose.

Finally, the music halted and the two dancers stopped, sweat dripping from their brows. Cheers broke out from the assembled audience, as did whistling and clapping.

"Hmm, not bad, girl," the Suit admitted. "Not used to seeing moves like yours, but they were awesome".

"You're actually not bad yourself," Musa admitted. "So, how was it getting beaten?"

"Hah, was about to ask you the same," the Suit chuckled. He glanced around the audience. "How about we call it a tie?"

"Do I still get your respect?" Musa cheekily asked.

"Doll, you've earned it," came the response. "With moves like yours, I'm just about ready to give you a personal invite to the gang".

"Sorry, but I'll be leaving town soon," Musa said. "But I might be tempted to drop by here next time I'm in town. And next time, I will cream you".

"I'll be looking forward to the rematch," the Suit said with an excited smile.

"Wow, that was impressive," Bloom said as she made her way through the crowd, followed by Stella. "Hey, Jasper. How have the Suits been doing?"

"You know this guy?" Musa asked a bit surprised, gesturing to the Suit boss.

"Sure, I went to school with him," Bloom replied. "Hung out with them a few times. Really, they're harmless".

"No cool, girl. No dissing da Suits," Jasper said, adjusting his smoking.

"Hey, I said harmless, not classless," Bloom cheekily added. "Besides, I think I prefer the Suits to be the cool neighbourhood kids whose worst offence is breaking school regulations for clothes and hair".

"What else would we do? Rob people like a pack of two-bit thugs?" Jasper questioned and sniffed. "Ain't anything stylish 'bout that".

"And that's what I like about you guys," Bloom said. "So, what are you doing here? Is this another one of those Truancy Days you've arranged?"

"Yeah. Gotta show them they can't keep us confined by a schedule," Jasper said. After a moment, he admitted: "Plus, we've only got one class today, so it ain't like we're missing much. The flu's been hitting the staff pretty hard".

"I can imagine. Anyway, would you mind me taking my friends with me? We kinda have to go now," Bloom continued.

"Only if you promise to bring them back one day. Have a rematch to win," Jasper said.

"You'd probably be better off taking a nap, because that's only going to be happening in your dreams," Musa taunted.  
>"We'll see about that, doll," Jasper replied with a challenging smirk. "And have a nice day".<p>

"Likewise," Musa said as she and the others left the club.

"Well, looks like you had fun," Stella commented. "I barely had time to get a souvenir for Brandon before Bloom called".

"Sorry 'bout that," Bloom said apologetically.

"Anyway, yes, we did have fun. Well, I did," Musa said. "What about you, Aisha?"

The brunette thought about it for a moment. "Actually, I did have fun," she finally admitted. "Though I might have to try it again to be really sure".

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Musa said with a smile.


	14. Attack of the Patchamen

Chapter 14: Attack of the Patchamen

With a blast of light, Stella teleported the girls into the courtyard of Alfea. Grey piles of half-frozen sludge cluttered the corners of the yard.

Bloom yawned and said: "Well, that was a nice weekend trip. How about you girls?"

"I think I'll need a vacation after that vacation," Stella groaned while rubbing her eyes. "Low magic tots suck".

"Not as much as stumbling out of bed, only to suddenly be face to face with somebody's aura," Musa added. "I think I managed to hit a note reserved for opera".

"I just want a bed," Aisha moaned as the group made their way towards the main doors. "So tired, sleep now,".

"I agree," Amore said, wearing a striped pyjamas and nightcap while cradling a teddy bear. "I'll go hibernate for the next day or so. That should fix things up".

"So you're not exactly overeager to return to Earth I take it?" Bloom questioned as they entered Alfea.

"Your homeworld is lovely, Bloom," Stella said. "It's just... Draining. Literally totally draining".

"Let's just go to sleep early," Musa mumbled. "Before we fall asleep in the middle of everything".

"Hey, there you are," a familiar voice said and the girls turned to see Techna rushing towards them. "Where have you all been?"

"We visited Bloom's parents and stayed overnight," Tune replied.

"You went to Earth?" Techna asked. "Without me?"

"Didn't you have a date with Timmy?" Bloom asked, idly scratching her hair.

"I could have brought him along," the scarred girl insisted.

"Look, it's not like you missed anything," Musa brought up.

"What about when you had a dance fight with that gang leader?" Livy asked.

"Seriously, the moment I'm not there, you go have a dance off with a gang leader," Techna said annoyed. "First I didn't get to see the wyrms, now this?"

"We really didn't plan for there to be a dance off," Bloom added. "It just sorta happened. Look, if we're going to do anything interesting in the future, we'll bring you along, okay?"

Techna thought about it for a second, before her face lit up and she happily said: "Okay, but I'll hold you to that promise. See you later". Then she skipped down the hall.

"That girl is impossible," Musa muttered, a small smile on her lips.

...

Almost a week later, near the equator of the planet Sparx, in the Shogunate of Tochi, shogun Yoshinoiya was having his dinner. He lived inside a towering palace in the middle of the capital city. Yoshinoiya had almost everything he could wish for. He was rich, powerful and respected. He had a loyal army and could have any woman he wanted. In fact, there was only one thing he felt he lacked. In the grand political scheme of the multiverse, Tochi just wasn't that important. It was neither rich, big or technologically advanced enough to really have a say among the big players. But recently, he had taken steps to fix that.

As he sat by his table in his private chambers, enjoying a delicious mixture of grains and meat, he heard the voice of one of his elite agents say: "We have returned, honourable shogun".

Yoshinoiya rose and turned. Seemingly out of thin air, his ninjas manifested. They were clad in full-body camo-suits that allowed them to blend in with anything, making them almost invisible.

"Yes?" he said. The shogun had once been a great warrior and a great general, though being a non-magi, age was slowly robbing him of the former. His hair was greying and his once muscular body was slowly gaining the consistency of dough.

"The agents you hired were successful," the lead ninja said. "Princess Diaspro has been kidnapped and the ransom demands have been sent. The involved parties have agreed to a military ceasefire until the terms have been discussed".

"Most excellent," the shogun declared triumphantly. "Either they give in to my demands or they will be responsible for the permanent removal of Diaspro. Either way, it will be a great loss for both Eraklyon and Isis".

"Indeed. But can we really trust these... Freelance agents?" the lead ninja asked. "We have no guarantee they will stay loyal".

"Do not worry," Yoshinoiya said dismissively. "I know the type. They believe in the cause and nothing Diaspro says or does will convince them otherwise. Because the funny thing is that despite what I stand to gain, Diaspro is still guilty as charged".

...

Diaspro groaned as consciousness slowly returned to her. She had a mild headache and her bed felt uncomfortably and uncharacteristically hard. She rolled over, trying to figure out what had happened. She remembered that she had been at a meeting of some sort. Lots of angry people, though she couldn't at the moment recall why. She had been given a drink and then... Nothing. Had she been poisoned? Diaspro forced her eyes open, thinking that maybe her servants had brought her to a healer or a doctor. But her surroundings quickly shattered that comfortable illusion.

She was in a cell. An underground one, probably in someone's basement judging by the grey featureless walls. The cell was fairly clean and well maintained with a light bulb above illuminating the room. Its light revealed the bars that separated her from her freedom, upon which a note had been posted, piquing her curiosity.

She slowly rose from the bed, a cheap mattress placed on a wooden cot. She picked the note up and read aloud: "Princess Diaspro, for your crimes against your people you have been imprisoned and will face justice. The cell is warded, so you will not be able to cast any magic. Dinner will be served at seven. Signed the Patchamen". Diaspro stared at the note as if it had personally offended her. "Okay, no, what is this?" she asked, waving the note around while looking for somebody to complain to. "Is this a joke? I've done nothing to deserve this". She shook the bars while yelling: "HEY! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME! LET ME OUT THIS INSTANCE!"

She heard steps coming down a set of nearby stairs and awaited her chance to confront her captors. She was sorely disappointed when a pudgy dog waltzed into the room.

"I don't suppose you're here to free me," she muttered, while the dog happily barked and wagged its tail.

...

The next day at Alfea, Palladium had taken the sunny weather as an opportunity to teach outside. The snow had almost melted, leaving only small pitiful piles in the corners of the courtyard. The assembled students were dressed in thick, warm clothes to protect themselves from the chilly breeze.

"Alright students, today we're going to talk about one of the oldest types of general spells," Palladium started. "Weather spells. These spells allow a degree of control over sun, rain, snow and so on. The more magi who join together, the greater the effect. However, weather spells can also be very dangerous," he added with seriousness in his voice. "If big enough changes are made, usually due to several magi working together, it can have very unpredictable effects on the weather. Remember, weather is an incredibly complex system. Large alterations could cause devastating storms or dangerous droughts. History has plenty of examples of large-scale weather magic gone horribly wrong. Small effects, however, are unlikely to cause such devastation, so you should feel free to train in it. The first thing we'll try is the creation of a rain cloud. I will pass out instructions".

Bloom took the note she was handed and read through it. It included scientific explanations for how rain clouds were made, how it should approximately feel when creating and a long list of suggested help. She looked at her classmates. Many had adopted things like calling their spells or waving wands around in order to help them get into the proper mindset. Techna had adopted her iron pipe for the purpose of being a wand while Musa incorporated movements from her martial arts training. Flora seemed to use meditation as a way to help her focus, Aisha had bought a professionally made wand and Bloom herself found that reciting what she wanted to happen as a mantra helped. She closed her eyes and focuses on the spell.

"Make it rain, make it rain," she constantly muttered to herself, reaching out into the air with her magic. She suddenly heard drizzling and a sharp: "Eek!" The redhead opened her eyes and saw that Aisha had dodged out of the way of the rain cloud she had made, which dissipated on its own moments later.

"Good job, Aisha," Palladium praised her. "Your only mistake seems to be that you focused too little on where you wanted the cloud, but other than that, an excellent job".

"Tha-thanks," Aisha said, still a bit stunned from the experience.

The rest of the class returned to their own attempts at making it rain. Bloom and Musa managed to make clouds, though they couldn't make them rain. Techna's ended up snowing instead, which Palladium judged was close enough. Flora managed after a lot of focusing, while Aisha was quite proficient at class' end, easily creating and destroying the clouds.

"You have all made excellent progress," Palladium said as the class finished. "Next time we will focus on the dissipation of weather. Have a good weekend".

"Well, that was fun," Techna said as the five friends left the area. "So now that it's weekend, what are you all going to do?"

"Me and Flora are going to visit Sky's parents," Bloom said with notable dread in her voice.

"Oh. Why?" Musa asked.

"They caught wind that her and Sky were dating again," Flora replied. "So since Bloom is a princess now, they want to meet her, in order to judge her personally".

"Frickin politics," Bloom mumbled. "We're not even in a relationship".

"So, going to be doing anything exciting?" Techna questioned suspiciously.

"I'm going to be interrogated by two old grumpy folks who know much more about royal life than I do and will be judging me based on a rule set I'm not even entirely familiar with," Bloom replied. "I fail to see how it could possibly be exciting".

"Hmm, point taken," Techna admitted.

"So why are you going with her?" Aisha asked Flora. "Have you also been invited?"

"No, but as a noble, I was allowed to join Bloom as her advisor, which we foresaw would be necessary," Flora replied. "Glim, Piff and Amore have also requested to come along, which has graciously been allowed".

"Wait, rewind for a moment. You're a noble?" Techna asked. "Since when?"

"Since I was five, maybe six years old," Flora said with a thoughtful look. "That was when my magic was discovered and my family was elevated to being nobles".

"You can just become nobles on Limphea just like that?" Aisha asked confused. "How does that work?"

"Limphea has a way below average number of magi," Flora explained. "And all magi are expected to use their powers to aid our society and protect people from the numerous dangers. The increased political clout and economical advantages are considered fair compensation for the increased danger that I will face".

"Huh. Well, that's cool," Techna said.

"So that's why you're so involved with the politics of your homeworld," Aisha stated.

"I would be interested even without my status, though my position certainly does make getting things done significantly easier," Flora replied. "Ah, it would seem our ride is arriving".

A car flew down the road, parking just outside the gates. One of the doors opened and Sky stepped out, soon followed by Brandon.

"Did you put our belongings in the main hall like I advised?" Flora asked Bloom. When the redhead nodded in confirmation, the brunette continued with: "Then I shall go get them. I will be right back".

"So, looking forward to the visit?" Sky asked as he walked over to them.

"Honestly, I'm kinda nervous," Bloom admitted.

"Me too," the blond prince sighed. "Also, Brandon mentioned that I should probably warn you. My parents will most likely try to see if they can't get me to hook up with both you and Diaspro. They will most likely try to prod you to see how flexible you are on the issue".

"How about not at all," the redhead muttered annoyed.

"It'll probably get through to them at some point," Sky said with a shrug.

"Hold the phone. Are you still getting married to Diaspro?" Musa asked.

"Dunno. My parents have gone kinda silent on the subject," Sky admitted. "Every time I've brought it up, they said they were in the middle of some renegotiations. They have been in the middle of those for a while. I think Bloom and I accidentally managed to hurl a pretty big wrench into their machinations".

"How?" Bloom asked a bit confused.

"Because they feel there's a pretty big chance that you and Sky will hook up," Brandon added. "But they would prefer if you did it as a concubine".

"I see. Because a wife would be considered an equal, but a concubine is considered a step below spouse," Flora said as she returned with the baggage, Piff, Glim and Amore flying behind her. "They want Sky to have some control over Bloom so that Eraklyon will gain power over Domino through the relationship".

"Pretty much, I'm afraid," Brandon said with a shrug. "Not much to do about it except standing your ground".

"Yeah, Avalon mentioned that in our last royal studies session," Bloom added. "He called it a war of definition. I will have to refer to myself exclusively in terms that imply equality between us".

"It's all really, really stupid," Sky groaned. "I wish they didn't have to turn everything into a political power play".

"Despite that, we should probably get going," Flora advised. "How will we be travelling?"

"My parents have sent a vessel capable of making jumps," Sky replied. "It will be awaiting in the airport near Magicalis".

"Well, then could you girls say goodbye to Stella for me?" Bloom asked.

"Sure thing. Have fun," Techna said, as Bloom, Flora, Sky, Brandon and the pixies entered the car, which drove off soon after.

...

About an hour later, Aisha sat in the common room of her cluster, going through the instructions that Palladium had allowed them to keep. She was well aware that she shouldn't practise changing the weather inside, but she hoped she could prepare for the next class mentally. It was in the middle of this self-imposed homework that she suddenly noticed Musa leaving her room, holding an armful of instruments. "Ehm, what are you doing?" Aisha asked.

"Well, the exhibition at Red Fountain is going to be held in a couple of weeks. They've scheduled it before the midterms this year, so me and the other musically inclined students are going to prepare".

"Oh. So what part are you going to play?" Aisha asked.

"Well, I was fortunate enough to be given a solo piece," Musa replied, putting the instruments down in a sofa so she could focus on talking. "I've settled on my instrument, but some of the others from Alfea have asked to borrow some of my other instruments. We're going to do a couple of rehearsals, give some opinions and hopefully make some good music".

"Oh. Sounds interesting," Aisha said. She fidgeted with her papers for a moment, before asking: "Hey, could I come along?"

"Sure, why not," Musa replied. After a moment, she added: "Do you even play an instrument?"

"Only some classical piano pieces from Tides. Though I do realise now that I have a very limited understanding of music," Aisha admitted. "I guess I want to come along because... It sounds like it could be fun and I want to learn what I've missed out on when it comes to music".

"Hmm, that's actually a good idea," Musa said approvingly. "I don't think anyone will mind. Wouldn't be the first time somebody hauled a friend along for training".

"Thank you," Aisha said happily.

...

The vessel that had been called in for them superficially reminded Bloom of the Red Fountain owls, though it was much bigger. And on the inside, it was much more luxurious. The owls of Red Fountain were military equipment and as such were designed to be utilitarian. The royal Eraklyon transport, however, had a snack bar, big beds and a television, amongst other things. It made travelling so much more fun, though Bloom was told to expect the journey to be rather short.

Short, yes, but also pretty impressive. The vessel had jetted of into the skies above, escaping the atmosphere and reaching space. Bloom had more or less freaked out from how amazing that was, being able to watch the planet of Magix from far above. The trip even avoided many of the problems she heard astronauts from Earth faced thanks to the magically generated gravity. Moments later, the vessel accelerated and breached the barriers between worlds, arriving far above the planet of Sparx.

"That's Domino up there," Sky said and pointed at a large, cloud covered area. "Hasn't seen clear skies in almost two decades".

"I really hope I can fix it at some point," Bloom said sadly, as she watched her cursed kingdom.

The vessel then descended into the airspace of Eraklyon. The Dominian princess watched in awe as they flew above the white landscape, cars and houses seeming like toys below. "Does the curse of Domino affect Eraklyon in any way?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"I think it had some effect, though I can't remember what it was exactly," Sky admitted. "Why?"  
>"Well, it's just that every time I've seen Sparx, be it in photos or on TV, it's always covered in snow," Bloom replied.<p>

"That is normal for Sparx," Flora pointed out. "The planet is further away from the star its circling compared to a planet like Magix. Its poles are permanent glaciers and only the equatorial areas get truly warm during the summer. The rest of the planet usually experiences snow three out of four seasons".

"Our years are also longer as a result," Brandon interjected. "So yeah, planet's a bit cold. You get used to it".

"I hope so. I own part of it," Bloom added with a shrug.

Not long after, they closed in on the Herakles family castle, a massive building that in many ways resembled palaces and castles Bloom had seen from European countries like France. The vessel touched down on a landing pad and the group walked out. Judging from the light of the sun, it was noon.

Moments later, a silk-clad messenger followed by a couple of servants ran up to them with a: "Prince Sky. Your parents have requested your appearance immediately. Bring your followers along as their presence has also been requested. We will handle the baggage".

"Not even a moment to breathe," Sky muttered as they walked out. "Pixies. Stay here until we're done".

"Great. Just arrived and we're already being told to stay put and be good pixies," Amore commented while wearing a dog costume.

"Cheer up. The weather forecast promises snow, so that means we can build an igloo," Piff added enthusiastically.

"Spectacular," Glim stated dryly.

"Come on, it could be worse," Brandon offered his prince as the group crossed the snow-covered courtyard.

Sky eyed him. "How?" he challenged.

"Well, they could have demanded that we leave immediately," Brandon said with a shrug.

"Why would they do that?" Sky asked confused.

"Dunno. Just coming up with a hypothetically worse scenario," the squire continued.

"Bloom, I will advise you to take some deep breaths," Flora said as she noted the redhead's expression, which had tightened into a stiff grin.

"Who, me? Why? I'm fine. I have nothing to worry about," Bloom rambled. "I just have to confront some of the most powerful political players in the multiverse because they want to judge me because of the boy I hang with. No pressure".

"Maybe a tranquillizer would work better than a deep breath," Flora mused.

They walked through the palace, escorted by heavily armed soldiers. The interior design was clearly made to show off the family's riches, with rich tapestries, silk covered sofas and tables with handmade carvings, many of which just seemed to be there to add something to the halls. There were chandeliers, great pictures and tapestries adding colour to the many walls.

Finally, they arrived in the throne room, a massive chamber with great pillars holding up the roof. It was all quite extravagant.

Inside the massive room, sitting on their respective thrones, were the king and queen, whom Bloom recognised from when she saw them at Red Fountain.

"You have requested our presence, Father. What is the issue?" Sky asked as he respectfully kneeled before his parents, the three others following suit.

"I'm afraid a situation has developed," the king started. "Princess Diaspro has been kidnapped".  
>"Wait... What?" Sky asked.<p>

"She was kidnapped from the newly built palace that had been set up for her by her parents. Investigations have shown that some of the staff had turned traitor and poisoned her, allowing the kidnapping to take place," Sky's father continued. "The man behind it is shogun Yoshinoiya. He has sent us a ransom note, demanding that Eraklyon and Isis surrender large swaths of land and set up unfair trade agreements in return for her safety and freedom".

"And I assume that you have not said yes to that," Sky stated.

"Correct. But before he would even begin negotiations, we signed an agreement of military non-action," Erendor continued. "Thus, by law, I cannot do anything but deal with him".

"Agreements of military non-action are important during tense negotations between nations," Flora whispered to Bloom. "If he breaks it, it will take decades for him to regain the trust of his fellow rulers".

"But then what can we do?" Sky asked. "You're not telling me you're going to give in to that slime ball".

"No, I would never do that," his father rumbled. "But I will not sacrifice the value of my word. Nor do I want to sacrifice Diaspro. As you might see, Yoshinoiya has placed me and the kingdom of Isis in an unfortunate situation, where every choice results in us loosing something of great value. The loss of land and trade would greatly damage our economy, the loss of Diaspro could severely damage our relations with Isis and we would lose a great amount of political power were my word to become distrusted. It would seem no matter what I do, I'll lose".

"You majesty, if I may?" Brandon added. After a gesture from the king, Brandon continued: "I think I see the solution and I suspect that is why you called us here. We're not agents of the kingdom, so if we were to do something about this, you cannot be held responsible, thus not violating the agreement of military non-action".

"I can neither confirm nor deny that idea," Erendor said neutrally. "We are already engaged in negotiations and Yoshinoiya has made it clear that he will not be delayed for long. I expect that I will be forced to make a decision within the next day or so".

"That means yes and that we should hurry," Flora added to Bloom.

"Excellent. Don't worry Father, I will protect the kingdom and save Diaspro," Sky said, where after he eagerly stormed out of the throne room.  
>"No, no wait, you dunderhead. We need a plan," Brandon called as he chased after his prince.<p>

"Hey, don't leave me behind," Bloom called and ran after them.

Flora watched the three storm out of the throne room. She turned to the king and remarked: "I imagine that with a son like Sky, this happens often".

"The boy has a good heart. He just lacks a head that can keep up with it, though I am happy to see Brandon step up to help him with that," Erendor remarked. "Now go. I am sure your friends will require your assistance".

"As you wish," Flora said and bowed, before leaving the chamber.

"Well?" Queen Samara asked. "Do you think this will work?"

"Which 'this' are you referring to?" Erendor asked.

"Both," the queen replied. "Our son has many great qualities, but without backup I'm unsure even he will be able to track down Diaspro, with or without his three companions. And even were he to be successful, I doubt it will kindle anything between him and Diaspro".

"If Diaspro becomes his wife and Bloom his concubine, Sky's power and influence will eclipse ours," the king continued. "It will strengthen our house for generations. Therefore, while I would not bet on it, I do hope that it is what will happen. Diaspro's family has been putting more and more pressure on me to finish the renegotiations, especially after what Diaspro did with the newly acquired province".

"They are that eager to get rid of her?" Samara asked.

"Yes. And if Sky won't have her... Well, I don't think anyone will," Erendor continued.

"Poor girl. Couldn't we take her in anyway?" Samara suggested.

"It would send the wrong signal. We risk everyone trying to get us to take in the kids that are too embarrassing to have around," Erendor replied. "And if Sky decides he does not want any part of this marriage, there's nothing I can do. I could force him, but in one year's time, he will be ready for his second crowning and then he will have the authority to just annul the marriage. It would make getting him married rather pointless and potentially damage his trust in me".

"Then let us hope this goes well," Samara sighed.

...

"Sky, can we talk for a moment before you storm off to save the princess?" Brandon asked as he entered the armoury, were Sky was eagerly looking for equipment.

"Alright, but make it quick. We need to leave soon," Sky said. "My parents-No, my entire nation is depending on this".

"Yes, and I do realise you have been looking forward to doing something like this," Brandon said. "But do you even have a plan?"

Sky stopped for a moment. "Well..." he started. "I know I'm heading for Tochi and I guess I'll just improvise afterwards".

"Brilliant," Brandon sarcastically commented. "Absolutely brilliant. Okay, are you even sure Diaspro is being held in Tochi?"

Sky mulled it over for a moment.

"And if she isn't, then what? You're going to break into the palace and make Yoshinoiya tell you?" Brandon continued. "Not to mention that the guy is not going to wait forever. Your parents can only drag things out for so long".

"Alright, I get it, I get it," Sky groaned. "Let me guess. You have an idea, right?"

"I do. I noticed a couple of things," Brandon continued. "Now, why do you think your parents waited until we had landed before telling you about this? Why not call you?"

"That's... Actually a very good point," Sky said, rubbing his chin. "Maybe they feared that somebody else was listening in".

"Indeed. Yoshinoiya is well aware of the loopholes in the military non-action agreement," Brandon continued. "So he will no doubt have people to keep an eye out for people like us".

"People who will no doubt ambush us were we to initiate a search," Sky continued, a grin forming on his face.

"Which would result in a great amount of ass-kicking," Brandon finished. "And then we can just ask them. If they don't know, then we start improvising".

"You know what? I like that plan," Sky said approvingly. "Hey, where's Bloom? I though she ran after us".

"I told her I would talk with you. She's out in the garden with Flora," Brandon explained. "Let's suit up and then we can pick them and the pixies up on the way out".

...

"You look tired," Flora stated as she and Bloom walked through the gardens. A fine layer of snow covered everything, painted orange by the sinking sun.

"I'm just nervous I guess," Bloom admitted. "I felt like... Like they were constantly keeping an eye on me. Judging me".

"You would think they would have more important concerns than your status as a potential girlfriend for their son," the brunette added.

"I could be imagining it," the redhead admitted. "Maybe I'm just nervous because of what Sky told me. How they really want me to be his concubine and make him some babies and stuff".

"Also an option. And if they are concerned about yours and Sky's potential relationship, then they at least realise that this is not the right time for discussing it," Flora continued.

"And all this talk of politics is... It's making my head spin," Bloom continued. "I mean, is this what I'll have to deal with all the time? Kidnappings, complicated deals, arranged marriages". She sighed. "Maybe Mom was right in suggesting I should abdicate".

"Being a royal is only what you make of it," Flora offered. "There will be both good and bad sides to it. As there is with everything in life".

"I guess you're right," Bloom sighed. "And I can do a lot of good with it. It's just... Overwhelming".

"Understandable. My advice is that you try focusing on something else," the brunette continued. "Then you can always go back and rethink your worries when you feel less stressed. Who knows, it might be easier to handle by then".

"Right, something else," Bloom said to herself. She scrunched her face for a bit, before admitting: "And now I can't think of anything but my worries".

"Look over there," Flora said and pointed. "It would appear that they have a greenhouse".

"Huh, you're right," Bloom said as she noted the glass building. "What kind of plants do they keep around here?"

"I imagine that since this is the royal gardens, it will be something aesthetically pleasing," Flora suggested and the two walked closer.

Inside, protected from the cold, were several vibrant purple flowers. Occasionally, one would disappear with a purple blink, only for an identical one to appear somewhere else in the greenhouse.

"Warp flowers," Flora started explaining. "A plant with highly developed teleportation magic. Very difficult to pluck. I imagine the greenhouse has been warded to ensure that they do not escape".

"Plants that can escape," Bloom chuckled. "You know, no matter how much I see, the multiverse still keeps surprising me".

Flora didn't respond. They stood there in silence, watching with amusement as the plants warped around in the greenhouse.

"There you are," came Brandon's voice and the two girls turned to greet the squire and the prince. "We've come up with a plan".

"And we've arranged transportation," Sky added.

"Where are we going?" Bloom asked as they began heading for the garage.

"Out of the city. Maybe all the way to the border," Brandon said. "We don't know yet. Depends".

"On what?" Flora asked.

"On when we get ambushed," the squire frankly replied.

"Ah, I see. We are to be bait," the Limphean brunette noted.

...

The car floated out of the city and down the road. The last rays of the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, leaving only streetlights and stars to illuminate the path. The car was red as blood, painted to stand out against the often snowy landscape of Eraklyon.

Brandon was driving, eyes fixed on the road ahead, while Flora sat on the seat beside him and kept an eye on the map. In the backseats, Bloom was sleeping and Sky was staring out the window at the forested hills that dominated the landscape. Between them, the three pixies slept.

"How sure are you of this plan of yours?" Flora asked as she studied the map. "Because we will soon hit the borders of Eraklyon and we still have not seen anything resembling spies".

"Plans like these are never guaranteed," Brandon replied. "Relies too much on the enemy. But I am familiar with Yoshinoiya. And he's the careful sort. He's well aware that outside agents could move against him without it technically being a breach of the rules".

"Hopefully, something will happen soon," Sky added. "As you said, my parents can't drag things out forever".

"Hypothetically speaking, what will your parents do if we cannot find Diaspro?" Flora asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Sky admitted. "Damaging our diplomatic ties in any way could set the kingdom back for decades, but so could giving in to Yoshinoiya's demands. We might technically lose very little were my dad to sacrifice Diaspro, but that would really not look good to the multiverse".

"Pick your poison, as they say," the squire added.

"We will reach the border in about half an hour," Flora noted. "Should we cross or will we turn east to...?" Her question was cut off as a sharp blade pierced through the car's roof with a loud thunk, almost hitting Brandon's shoulder.

"Actually, I think we found them," Brandon remarked, before slamming the brakes with his foot. The car stopped almost instantaneously and someone was hurled off the roof.

Sky jumped out the door and drew his sword and shield. Outside, everything was silent. "Where are they?" he quietly asked as he looked around.

"Is everything okay?" Bloom groggily asked as she got out of her seat.

"Well, besides the attempted murder, yes," Brandon quipped. "Stay close to the car. Pixies, stay inside".

"What? Again? Do we really look like muphhlff," Amore mumbled as her complaints were cut off by an annoyed Glim dragging her back into the car.

"Should we go look for the attacker?" Bloom asked.

"Nah, these guys work in groups and are trained in fighting in the dark," Brandon remarked. "Leaving the car is..." A loud bang could be heard and Brandon was flung off his feet and into the some nearby bushes.

"SNIPER!" Sky yelled as the three of them took cover. "Bloom, Flora, fling something at them. I'll get Brandon".

"Understood," Bloom remarked and charged a fireball. She flung it in the general direction of the shot and the fire exploded among the frozen trees. In the light of the flames, they could see vague shades moving through the shadows.

"Keep them occupied," Flora ordered as Bloom kept pelting the wilderness around them with fire. "I will try to track them". The brunette touched the ground and let her magic seep into the surrounding plants.

Meanwhile, Sky ran to the bush where his groaning squire lay. "You okay, man?" the blond prince asked and reached out for his friend.

"No. But at least he went for the torso," Brandon groaned. His eyes suddenly widened and he grabbed Sky's hand and pulled him to the ground. Less than a second later, a blade swished through the air where the prince's head had been. Brandon jumped from the ground like a spring and tackled the almost invisible attacker. The brutal manoeuvre short-circuited the camo-suit, revealing the ninja. Brandon drew his sword and swung it in the same motion, clashing against the ninja's blocking blade. The sheer weight of the two-handed weapon and the force of the swing caused his opponent's knees to buckle, and Brandon mercilessly lashed out with his foot. His opponent stumbled as he lost his footing and the brunette squire followed up by ramming the pommel of his weapon into the attacker's face. With a pained grunt, the ninja fell to the ground.

"Bloom, to the right," Flora ordered and the redhead followed by launching several balls of flames in the general direction. With a howl, one ninja was flung into the air and tumbled down the hill.

"I think that was the sniper," Flora remarked.

Bloom didn't get the chance to reply, as several small serrated stars were shot out of a bush behind her. She yelped as they dug into her shoulder, drawing blood. She screamed when they let an electrical charge loose. She almost collapsed before she was caught by Flora, who dragged her behind the car as several more projectiles were launched, digging into the side of the vehicle. That's when she suddenly felt something charging through the bushes that were now behind them. Flora turned and saw the blurry shade of another camouflaged ninja leaping towards her. With a movement of her hand, a massive root burst through the road. The assailant twisted and swung his blade through the plant, continuing the motion into a follow-up attack against Flora. But the split-second the attacker had spent on the plant was enough to allow the brunette to get out of the way, leaving the blade to scratch at the car's paintwork with a painful sound.

Sky leapt over the car and swung his blade against the ninja that had attacked Flora. Their blades clanged as they smashed against each other. Sky followed up by smashing his shield into the attacker's now exposed stomach, driving him back.

Flora moved around the car, which shook as Brandon leapt over it to assist his prince. She reconnected with the surrounding plants, trying to get a feel for where the star throwing assailant was hiding. She felt movement through the bushes and concentrated her magic, willing the thorns on the bushes to grow. The howl of her target confirmed its effect. She straightened up and charged towards the sound, as the ninja nosily tried to get free from the suddenly very long thorns. She tackled the attacker, the thorns tearing cloth and flesh as she forced the assailant to the ground. She wrapped her legs around his torso, locking his arms in the process, and followed up with a couple of brutal punches to the face.

Sky continued to duel with his opponent, but when the ninja saw Brandon coming to assist, he turned and ran for the safety of the shadowy hills. Sky shifted his grip on his weapon and hurled his sword like a javelin. It pierced the ninja's back and he fell to the ground with a pained scream. The blond prince waited for a moment, trying to listen for the telltale sound of additional attackers.

"I think that was it," Brandon said. "Though I could be wrong". He turned and noticed Flora dragging an attacker out of the bushes. "Flora, could you find the sniper? Sky, give Bloom some first aid and then start tying people up. I'll have a chat with this guy".

"Understood," the Limphean brunette replied, dropping her groaning opponent off at the car.

As Sky began helping Bloom with the metal stars that were still lodged in her shoulder, Brandon strode up to the ninja with the sword through his back. "So, feeling like answering some questions?"

"Please, help," the ninja whimpered. "I'm... I'm bleeding out".

"I'd say that as long as you let that sword stay there, you'll have a couple of minutes at least," Brandon offered. "Much more if we feel like fixing you, but I'm not in the mood right now".

"Please," the attacker begged.

"Where is Diaspro?" Brandon sharply asked.

"I... I don't know," the ninja replied. "Really... I don't".

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" the squire asked sceptically. "Yoshinoiya puts a lot of faith in you guys. I seriously doubt you're completely uninformed. But hey, if you really do know nothing..." the squire added with a shrug. "Then I guess we don't have any first aid either. Sorry".

Behind him, Sky was bandaging Bloom's shoulder.

"Alright... He didn't... Have us do it..." the ninja wheezed as more of his blood dripped from his wound. "He hired another group... A mercenary team... They had reasons for wanting Diaspro gone... So they worked for free... I don't know where they are though..."

"Interesting. Afraid of an information leak," Brandon mumbled to himself. Then he barked: "What else do you know?"

"Nothing... I swear..." the ninja said, straining to speak.

"Oh well. Have a nice life then," Brandon said and turned around. "All three minutes of it".

"Wait... We were told... To deliver something if... If the king was being uncooperative," the ninja added, gasping as his strength slowly faded. "Something... Something taken... From Diaspro". He fumbled with his pocket and pulled something carefully wrapped in paper. "Take it... Just... Please..."

"Many thanks for the assistance," Brandon said and took it. "Sky, get this guy some first aid, stat".

"Coming," the blond prince said.

...

Half an hour later, the Eraklian military had been by to pick up the ninjas, leaving the group to take a short break by the car.

"You know, you can be pretty scary when you want to," Bloom remarked to Brandon, as the squire studied the contents of the package. It was an elaborate jewel encrusted earring.

"Red Fountain has trained us in interrogation techniques," the brunette replied. "Not that I enjoy stringing people along like that, but it's a sad necessity at times".

"But what can we use it for?" Amore asked. "Make it look like we've already rescued Diaspro?"

"It'll take more than an earring to fool Yoshinoiya," Sky commented.

"There is something we could try," Flora began. "We have started training in ritual magic. One of the first rituals we have learned and had some success with is the 'Locate Owner' ritual".

"Sounds great," Brandon said. "Though I am sensing a but in there".

"Neither Bloom nor I have mastered the ritual, and items become less potent the longer they have been separated from a person," Flora explained. "Even the best possible results will be vague".

"Vague is better than nothing," the Eraklian prince insisted. "I say we give it a shot".

"How about you, Bloom?" Flora asked as she placed the earring at the side of the road. "Do you feel up for it?"

"Sure. I'm just a bit sore, that's all," Bloom said, rubbing her bandaged shoulder.

"Hey, I could compose a cheer to help you," Piff suggested eagerly.

"The thought is appreciated, though I sincerely doubt it will assist our attempts at concentrating," Flora offered diplomatically as she and Bloom sat down on either side of the vanished princess' accessory.  
>"Aww, I never get to cheer," Piff pouted.<p>

"Maybe you could try cheering up," Amore suggested.

Piff glared at her as the redhead pixie stared off into the distance, her expression the very incarnation of innocence.

"I have the instructions if you need to refresh your memory," Flora offered.

"No, I remember," Bloom replied.

The two sat in silence, focusing their magic into the object and letting it flow from it, like an echo spreading from a struck bell. Minutes ticked by as they sat at the side of the road, a chill wind in the air. The only movement was Bloom silently mouthing her chant.

"Think it's going to snow soon?" Sky quietly asked.

"Sure feels like it, but kinda hard to judge right now," Brandon remarked, eyeing the dark skies above.

More minutes ticked by. The pixies had gone back to sleep, resting inside the car, while Sky and Brandon patrolled the area around the vehicle, vary of potential attackers.

Finally, Flora opened her eyes and said in a drained voice: "We got something. Give me a map".

Sky handed her one and she pointed while saying: "Somewhere around the eastern border, in the forest area. I cannot be more specific, but she is definitely in this area".

"It's a start. And more than we had before," Brandon remarked as he helped a tired Bloom up. "How about the two of you get some rest? We'll wake you when we're in the area".

"Sounds like a good idea," Flora yawned as she and her redheaded companion moved into the backseats of the car. Minutes later, they were sound asleep as Brandon drove through the night.

To Bloom, she felt like she had barely fallen asleep when Sky gently shook her shoulder while saying: "Alright, we're in the area".

"Already?" Bloom mumbled groggily.

"Are we finally going to go kick ninja butt?" Amore asked as she slowly awoke.

"Yes, we are," Brandon said. "You are on car watching duty, however".

Amore stared at him for a few seconds, before sighing and saying: "I'm too tired to argue. Roll over Piff, I'm going back to sleep".

The four of them left the car and wandered into the dark forest that stretched before them, the path illuminated by their flashlights. The snow creaked under their feet as shadows danced in the pale light.

"Keep an eye out for anything suspicious," Brandon quietly said as they walked through the dark woods. "I'd rather investigate one false alarm too many than overlook something important".

"I sense nothing so far," Flora remarked. "But then again, the area is very sparse with plants besides the trees".

"Any idea what we should be looking for?" Bloom asked.

"Could be anything really," Sky admitted. "These guys are very subtle".

Suddenly, bright light exploded before them, momentarily blinding the group. Per reflex, Sky and Brandon drew their weapons while Bloom's hands ignited and Flora magically reached out to nearby plants. In the light of the projectors stood a team of five people, dressed in formfitting blue uniforms with red capes and helmets, which had seemingly superfluous sets of antennas on them. One of them, a man who was standing in the centre of the group, was bearing himself like one with authority, black hair visible underneath his helmet. By his side was a young boy, no more than fifteen years of age. On his other side stood a woman, twin locks of black hair flowing from her helmet. Far to the right stood another man, visibly muscular with smooth brown hair poking out from the helmet. On the far left stood the only member not dressed in a uniform, instead clad in massive armour that obscured all signs of gender, although a cape had been attached.

"What in all of Sparx?" Brandon questioned in surprise.

"LIKE A FLOWER BLOOMING IN TAINTED SOIL, WE SHALL BRING FORTH JUSTICE FROM THAT WHICH HAS BEEN TWISTED AND CORRUPTED!" the man in the middle of the group declared while posing dramatically. "TWISTED VILLAINS. YOUR PLAN TO FREE YOUR DESPOT SHALL NOT SUCCED. FOR I, BEN THE JUSTICE MAN, STAND IN YOUR WAY, ALONG WITH MY FAITHFUL ASSOCIATES! ROLL CALL!"

"Jinpee, the Smartest Kid," the young boy proclaimed, striking a pose.

"Junko, the Princess of Beauty," the girl proclaimed, following her teammates example.

"Bo, the Fist of Truth," the muscular man declared.

"Kiu, the Mighty One," the armoured member declared, the voice obviously synthetic.

"TOGETHER, WE ARE...!" the leader declared as he and his team synchronised their posing. All together, they yelled: "THE SUPER HERO CYBER NINJA HYPER FORCE! THE PATCHAMEN!" Then fireworks randomly exploded behind them, illuminating the forest.

Brandon stared slack-jawed. In fact, he was convinced that his jaw was about to cartoonishly fall off from shock. He looked at the others. Sky had a blank look as if his brain had completely shut down, Bloom was insistently pinching her arm over and over again and even the usually unflappable Flora looked utterly perplexed.

"SURRENDER VILLAINS OR PREPARE TO TASTE THE MIGHTY FORCE OF JUSTICE!" Ben dramatically declared.

"And here I thought things were ridiculous when Darkar got involved," Flora sighed, burying her face in her hands. She glanced at Bloom and remarked. "You are not going to wake up, Bloom".

"I have to. It's the only way this makes sense," Bloom insisted, even as sore red spots started to pockmark her arm.

"Alright, there might have been a slight misunderstanding here," Brandon started. "Are you the ones that kidnapped Diaspro?"

"INDEED. WE BROUGHT DOWN THE TYRANT AND FREED HER PEOPLE! FOR JUSTICE!" Ben proclaimed, making Brandon silently wonder if the guy had a volume control.

"Alright, so Diaspro did something. Could you perhaps elaborate?" Brandon suggested,

"SHE FORCED HER PEOPLE TO SPEND THEIR MONEY FRIVOLOUSLY WHILE THEY WERE TOILING AWAY, BARELY ABLE TO SURVIVE," the Patchamen leader continued. "SUCH VILE MISUSE OF ONE'S SUBJECTS CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED! FORTUNATELY, THE GOOD LORD YOSHINOIYA INFORMED US OF THIS BLIGHT UPON THE WORLDS!"

"Alright, look, I don't know what you think happened, but even if Diaspro has done something wrong, Yoshinoiya is only doing this to serve his own cause," the brunette squire said. "He might actually be using you".

"And your evidence is what exactly?" Jinpee questioned.

"Hmm, good point. I guess I don't really have anything on me," Brandon admitted.

Sky shook his head and said: "We haven't got time for this. Remember, negotiations can only be drawn out for so long. We need to get Diaspro out, now".

"You can try. And fail," the armoured Patchaman said, as the entire team struck combat poses.

"This really isn't some absurd nightmare," Bloom sadly moaned, one side of her arm almost completely red from pinching.

"It would seem that a peaceful solution is not in the cards," Flora noted.

"FOR GREAT JUSTICE!" Ben yelled and the team charged.

Bo ran towards Sky, who raised his shield. "KICK OF TRUTH!" the muscular Patchaman yelled as he sailed through the air, his feet smashing into Sky's shield, forcing the warrior back. "PUNCH OF TRUTH!" he continued, unleashing a barrage of fist attacks as he tried to knock the blond prince out.

"WHY ARE YOU YELLING YOUR ATTACKS!?" Sky loudly questioned as he tried to hit his opponent with his blade. "WHO DOES THAT!?"

Bo jumped back, shining energy charging in his hand. "FORCE BLAST OF JUST REVELATION!" he yelled, before launching several glowing projectiles from his hand.

"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!?" Sky yelled as he ran for cover while the ground behind him exploded.

Meanwhile, Bloom unleashed a wave of fire at Kiu, who strode through it even as the flames consumed the armoured Patchaman's cape. The redhead continued to back away as her opponent confidently strode through the flames.

"Do not think your flames can hurt me, she-villain," Kiu proclaimed. "My components are protected by enchanted alloys. You cannot harm me".

"Components? Are you a robot?" the redhead asked as she ducked behind a tree to avoid her mechanical opponent's blows.

"That is correct. Built to serve justice, truth and liberty," the machine proudly proclaimed as he tried to catch up to the redhead, who was constantly running around the tree. "Now stand still so I can administer justice".

"Does that ever work?" Bloom questioned as one of the robot's fist smashed against the side of the tree, nearly hitting her head.

"Honestly, no, but it wouldn't be fair if I didn't give you the option," the robot admitted.

Bloom kept trying to get out of the robotic Patchaman's way, but then suddenly tripped over a rock.

"Got you now," the machine proclaimed as he loomed over her. "Lights out, you fiend".

Bloom let her dragonflame ignite and felt a surge of power. She reached out with her hand and a bright flare lanced forth, blasting off one of Kiu's arms. "I thought you said you could handle the heat," the redhead taunted as the robot stumbled back, holding the red-hot remains of its shoulder.

"Oh no. I have been wounded," the robot cried out.

"Fear not, mighty Kiu. For with the power of friendship, we shall overcome our foe," Junko proclaimed as she jumped forth to assist. "Take this". With a sweeping motion, she flung several objects that clattered around Bloom's feet.

"Lipsticks?" Bloom questioned confused.

"I never go anywhere without lipstick," Junko responded, flicking her hair. "They're also bombs, by the way".

Bloom had barely time to register the female Patchaman's comment, before the lipsticks exploded in pink gas. The redhead coughed as the pink mist enveloped her and made its way into her lungs. Seconds later, she collapsed on the ground, bereft of consciousness.

Flora directed another barrage of thorns at Jinpee, who was taking cover behind a force shield. She touched the ground and tried to direct the roots beneath to bind the kid, but the frozen ground was too hard to break through.

"Ready to give up yet?" the teen taunted. "My technology will beat you plant witchery any day".

"I am a fairy, you cape wearing doofus!" Flora yelled back, the night's events straining her usually endless patience.

"Eh, tomato, tomato," the kid responded uncaring while plinking away at a wrist mounted control panel. "While we've been bantering, my missile drones have flown into position".

Flora glanced around and suddenly noted that there was indeed several small machines silently hovering in the air. Small panels in them opened and unleashed a barrage of micro explosives.

"Touché," Flora admitted, before several explosions knocked her off her feet.

Brandon desperately moved back to give himself some room to attack, while Ben kept trying to close the distance to punch the squire in the face. The benefit of his two-handed blade was extra force and length when he attacked. However, the Patchamen leader seemed to realise this and constantly tried to get up close to Brandon where the squire would have a hard time getting a proper swing. The brunette tried to counter with pommel jabs and kicks, but the Justice Man was a much more experienced martial artist and easily countered his moves. A powerful jab made it through the squire's defences and pounded his rips, sending him stumbling backward.

Having gained some room, even at the cost of a painful bruise, Brandon raised his blade and awaited the inevitable charge. A couple of moments passed.

"Well?" Brandon taunted. "Afraid I'll hurt you?"

"BEN THE JUSTICE MAN FEARS NO PAIN," Ben responded. "BUT I DO ABHOR UNNECESSARY VIOLENCE".

"What do you mean by that?" Brandon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"VISIONARY FOOT FORCE!" a voice suddenly yelled, followed by an explosion and a pained howl. Brandon turned to see Sky fly through the air towards him. Tired and pained, the squire could not even attempt to evade and caught the full brunt of the flying prince, which smashed them both into a nearby tree.

"WELL DONE, TEAM," Ben congratulated as he and Bo dragged the downed Red Fountain soldiers over to where Bloom and Flora had been dropped off. "THIS HAS BEEN ANOTHER VICTORY! FOR JUSTICE!"

"SUPER HERO CYBER NINJA HYPER FORCE! THE PATCHAMEN!" the entire team yelled out in self-congratulation.

On the frozen ground, Flora groaned, her lacerated and slightly broken legs pulsing with pain. She dearly wished she could just fall unconscious and not have to listen to any more of the Patchamens' proclamations.

...

"Oh, my head. Where am I?" Bloom groaned as she slowly awoke.

"In a prison cell," Flora informed her. "Guarded by Yoshinoiya's men".

Bloom glanced around. Surrounding them on all sides were wooden walls with occasional barred windows, which Sky and Brandon were scouting out of. It looked almost like they were imprisoned in a crate.

"Well, this doesn't look to difficult to get out of," Bloom said as she slowly got up.

"No, it isn't," Sky confirmed. "It's the eight ninjas out there that's an issue. They took our weapons and I doubt even you two can lay down enough firepower to take care of them".

"What do we do then?" the redhead asked.

"We wait," Brandon responded. "All we can do at the moment, really. Look for an opportunity and capitalise on it when it presents itself".

"Problem is, that could take a while," Sky said. "I'm not even sure what the time is. But I know we can't have much left".

"We have to keep an eye on the guards, first of all," Brandon added. "There could be more... Moaning?"

"Moaning?" Flora questioned.  
>"Yes, moaning. Listen," Brandon said. As they all went silent, they could hear pained groans in the distance.<p>

Suddenly, Amore popped up in the window, wearing an all-black ninja costume. "Do you have any idea how hard you were to find?" she asked a bit annoyed. "Maybe we should leave you in the car next time".

"I'm happy to see you too," Brandon deadpanned. "Listen, we need your help to get out".

"Already taken care of it," the redhead pixie continued. "These fellas won't be bothering you".

"What did you do?" Sky asked.

"Turns out, being a ninja doesn't make you immune to food poisoning," Amore continued and made a twirl. Now dressed in a black suit, top hat, cape and twirling a moustache, she diabolically added: "Or the diarrhoea that follows, ahahaha".

"Your gear is over in that pile, by the by," Piff added as she popped into view. "Plus, they've got papers on were exactly Diaspro's kidnappers are hanging out".

"Great. Means we can resume the mission," Sky said.

"Hey, listen," Brandon began. "Can the three of you hurry back to the king and get a copy of the ransom demands? I think they might come in handy".

"Sure thing," Piff said as her and Amore jetted off, soon after joined by Glim.

...

About an hour later, the four of them hid in the thick bushes overlooking a small building, from which the sound of the Patchamens' celebrating could be heard.

"Alright, Flora, how are your legs?" Sky asked.

"They have managed to heal a bit, but I will not be able to walk anywhere without assistance," the brunette answered after a moment of assessment.

"Okay then, here's the plan," Brandon started. "We've brought a barrier buster. Now, according to the info from the ninja camp, Diaspro is kept in a warded cell in the basement. We'll blow the roof to dust and get her out, silently if possible. If we can't, then you'll have to protect her while we try to fight off the Patchamen".

"Should be possible. I still have my magic," Flora confirmed.

"And if it does come to a battle, how should we fight? Even when Flora could join us, we got our asses handed to us," Sky brought up.

"True, the Patchamen are good at what they do," Brandon said. "Bloom should break the robot guy as soon as possible, no holding back. Both the kid and the girl seem reliant on gadgets, so if we take that away from them, they're out of the equation. That leaves Captain Shouty and Fist Guy, or whatever their names were, but we can handle them in a three on two scenario. Or maybe we'll be lucky and the pixies will get here. That could also work".

"Alright, let's get going," Sky said.

He, Brandon and Bloom carefully snuck closer to the house. From it, they could hear Ben bellow: "TODAY, MY LOYAL TEAMMATES, WE HAVE STRUCK ANOTHER BLOW FOR JUSTICE! AND LIBERATION! BUT ESPECIALLY JUSTICE!"

"He really loves that word," Sky commented.

"At least he provides plenty of noise for us," Bloom added.

"According to the papers, the cell should be roughly around here," Brandon noted and pulled a barrier buster out of his backpack. "Get back. This might cause some shifts in the earth".

Seconds later, there was a puff and pulverised earth began trickling into the hole.  
>"WHAT IS THIS NOW!? I JUST GOT THIS FOOD!" an angry voice roared below.<p>

"That's her, alright," Sky said and peaked into the cell below. "Diaspro. It's me, Sky. We're here to get you out".

"Oh, my prince. You have come to save me in my hour of need," Diaspro said delighted.

"You okay?" Bloom asked as she peeked over the hole's rim.

"Oh," Diaspro said, all enthusiasm gone. "You".

"We got a rope. Climb up carefully," Brandon said as he lowered said rope. Then an alarm went off. "Scratch that, get up here now," the squire added.

"WHAT IS GOING ON!" the Patchamen leader yelled as he dramatically burst out of the building's front door. "YOU!" he yelled as he recognised the group. "YOU MAY HAVE ESCAPED YOUR JUST IMPRISONMENT AND EVADED THE LONG ARM OF JUSTICE, BUT YOUR ATTEMPTS AT FREEING THIS DESPOT SHALL FAIL. BECAUSE I..." Then one of Bloom's fireballs collided with his chest and launched him backwards.

"I'm getting really tired of that word," Bloom flatly noted.  
>"Ben!" Junko exclaimed as she saw her leader fall to the ground.<p>

"Did anyone catch the number on that washing machine?" came his slurred and surprisingly quiet reply.

"Diaspro, Flora is awaiting you in the thicket over there. She will keep you safe," Sky advised as Diaspro managed to crawl out of the hole.

"Please, be safe, my beloved prince," she said, fluttering her eyes before running off.

"What?" Sky asked as he saw Bloom shake her head.

"Just... Royals I guess," she frustratedly groaned.

"You will not get away with this, evildoers," Bo declared. "FORCE BLAST OF JUST REVELATION".

"Seriously, what does that mean?" Sky questioned as he and his friends dodged the blast.

...

Diaspro crashed through the thicket, the sound of battle echoing in the background. Seconds later, she stumbled into a clearing, where Flora was sitting.

"Hello," she greeted her. "It sounds like the stealth attempt failed".

"Yeah. it did," Diaspro wheezed, before sitting down on an exposed root.

"So, how has it been?" the brunette asked conversationally.

"How has it been? Awful," Diaspro snapped. "My marriage has been delayed for no reason, my own people backstab me after I try to help them, I get kidnapped by a bunch of clowns and of all people, Bloom has to be here". She took a deep breath.

In the distance, they could hear a cry of: "FOR JUSTICE!" followed by: "STOP SAYING THAT!".

"Yes, I heard about the marriage," Flora continued. "If I have understood the situation correctly, Erendor aims at making Bloom Sky's concubine, but she is resistant to the idea".

"Of course she has to be stubborn about it," the blonde princess grumbled. "Has to keep her grubby claws on her power. Doesn't care how it affects others".

"This may surprise you, but Bloom is not stubborn out of a desire to hold on to her power and influence as princess of Domino," Flora calmly explained. "She does it because she feels being reduced to a secondary lover would be undignified. An insult to her relationship and feelings".

"That makes no sense," Diaspro insisted. "If you get the chance to become affiliated with a royal like Sky, you should grab the chance as soon as possible".

"But you never really grabbed it, did you?" Flora questioned. "It was your parents who arranged it".

"They have done their best to ensure that I get the best possible match," the princess continued. "But when Erendor suddenly started delaying and renegotiating, well, it changed everything. They sent me off to a newly acquired region to manage it. They said they wanted to see if I could handle that while they tried to salvage my marriage". She sighed. "What did I do wrong? I did everything I could to be a good match for Sky. Maybe we just needed more time. But then she got into the picture. It's all her fault".

From somewhere far away, they could hear an intense yell of: "REVELATION PUNCH STARRRRRGGGHHH MY ARM!"

"Bloom seems to agitate you," the brunette stated. "Yet her presence did not seem to disturb you back at the incident at Red Fountain".

"She was just a commoner back then," Diaspro said. "She could never be Sky's wife. But now that she's turned out to be the lost princess of Domino... Erendor might decide to let them marry. She might be the better match. And she will never allow me to be a concubine".

"And this angers you, why?" Flora questioned.

"BECAUSE THAT SHOULD BE ME!" Diaspro yelled as she stood up. "I'VE SPENT MY LIFE TRAINING FOR THIS! PREPARING TO BE A GOOD WIFE, HIS WIFE! AND NOW, BECAUSE SHE SUDDENLY WALTZED IN FROM NOWHERE, I'M GETTING PUSHED OUT OF THE PICTURE! IT'S... IT'S...It's..." She collapsed back on the root, face buried in her hands. "It's not fair," she quietly said, sounding like she was about to break out in tears. "I've done everything I could... And now I can only watch it as it falls to pieces. Just like when my parents let me rule the new region".

In the distance, they could hear yells of: "NOT THE FACE! NOT THE FACE!"

"What happened?" Flora asked.

"There were complaints. Something about the workers suffering from heatstroke and stuff," Diaspro said, rubbing small tears out of her eyes with her sleeves. "I made buying the newest gear mandatory, for everyone's safety. People freaked".

"And is this gear expensive?" Flora asked.

"Of course not. Seven, maybe eight thousand nummi for a complete set," Diaspro said with a shrug.

"Right. I think I see the issue," Flora continued. "How much did those people earn? On average that is".

Diaspro blinked a couple of times.

"You do not know," the brunette stated.

"Well, usually there's a bureaucrat that takes care of that back home," Diaspro said. "He just never showed up in the new region. They also complained that we were starting to lack food, so I ordered them to sow blood berries. And they still complained".

"And had you made sure the area was suited for the farming of blood berries?" the brunette asked.

Diaspro blinked again, before saying: "That's not my job. We have a farmer guy to take care of that".

"And was he out in the region you were governing?" Flora continued.

"Well... No. I figured the peasants would elect one when they needed him," the blonde noble replied.

An explosion rang out not far away, resulting in somebody screaming about being on fire.

"Diaspro, do you have any training in actually governing a kingdom?" Flora finally asked.

"I have the necessary skills to assist my future husband in his endeavours, so yes," Diaspro said. "I can do math, write letters, raise kids, play the piano and dance. Among other things".

"Right. So you can assist a ruler, but you have no training in ruling on your own," Flora noted. "I am starting to see what has happened here".

...

Bloom gasped in pain as she leaned up against a tree. A brutal kick from Ben had hurt her leg and made her unable to stand on it. It was possibly broken or even dislocated.

The area had more or less been completely cleared of snow by the vicious fighting. Over the horizon, the first golden rays of the sun could be seen.

Sky and Brandon were still standing, though only barely. Bruised and sore, they stood side by side, ready to take on their opponents.

The Patchamen were in no better condition. A dragonflame empowered blast of fire had cut off Kiu's legs and Jinpee had had to retreat after Sky successfully broke his gadget. Bo was almost out of the fight, especially due to his now broken arm. Ben and Junko had taken some hits, but were still ready to battle.

"SURRENDER NOW VILE VILLAINS AND WE SHALL BE MERCYFUL!" Ben declared, striking a pose a bit slower than usual due to how beat up he was getting.

"Yeah, no, not happening," Sky groaned while shaking his head. "How about you surrender instead?"

"THE PATCHAMEN WILL NEVER BOW DOWN TO THOSE THAT SERVE INJUSTICE!" came the reply.

Sky shrugged and said: "Can't say I'm surprised, really".

"Alright, round two it is then," Brandon said, raising his blade.

"STOP! WAIT!" came a yell and the combatants turned to see three pixies storm into the clearing. "We... Got... What... You... Asked... For," Amore wheezed, holding up a disk.

"Eh, what's that?" Junko asked.

"Last time I brought this up I didn't have any evidence," Brandon said, as Amore flew over to the Patchamen with the disk. "So, I asked my friends here to get this. It proves that Yoshinoiya is using you for his own political gain. He sent this message to the Eraklian king".

"Jinpee, could you check this?" Junko asked as she took the disk.

"Sure. Unless they're also going to break my computer," the kid grumbled as he came out from hiding. He grabbed the disk and ran inside the house, pausing only to say hi to the dog.

There was a bit of an awkward moment as both parties waited for him to return.

"Alright, I'm curious," Brandon began. "How long has your group been operating?"

"THE PATCHAMEN WERE FORMED FIVE YEARS AGO TO COMBAT THE INJUSTICE THAT STILL TODAY REIGNS THROUGHOUT THE MULTIVERSE!" Ben declared.

"Though it did take four of them for us to really get started," Bo admitted. "What with having to find members and get the equipment necessary".

"And after becoming the bestest of friends, it took us a while to find a worthy cause," Junko added.

"In fact, this is our first really big job," came Kiu's addition.

"BUT WE DID IT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SPREAD JUSTICE AND GOOD MORAL VALUES," Ben loudly added. "AND IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS!"

"Ehm, Ben, I got some bad news," Jinpee said as he shuffled out of the house. "Story checks out. Yoshinoiya really is using this thing for political gain. And yes, I have checked for digital alterations. Nothing".

"OH... WELL... That's... Oh," Ben said, visibly deflating a bit. He coughed and added. "BUT EVEN SO, LADY DIASPRO'S TYRANNY CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED! IT WOULD BE MOST UNJUST!"

"Actually, there is nothing tyrannous about her," Flora said as she walked out of the thicket with the support of said noble. "She has genuinely tried to help people. She just does not know how to properly govern".

"OH... Oh..." the Patchamen leader said, deflating even more.

"In fact, did you ever talk with her at all?" Flora questioned.

There was silence as the Patchamen shuffled their feet.

"Well, we were kinda busy trying to make sure nobody would come free her," Jinpee said. "You know, waiting out in the woods with our pyrotechnics equipment and such. We left Zark, our dog, to keep an eye on her".

"So... What you're saying is... That this hasn't really been for justice?" Ben asked.

"I am afraid it has been the complete opposite," Flora said sympathetically.

"Oh," came the disappointed reply. The Justice Man looked thoroughly embarrassed by the revelation.

"If it helps, the entire region Diaspro was governing thought she was a tyrant," Flora said. "That is why they assisted you in kidnapping her. But in truth, she is just not very good at ruling".

"Yes, yes, rub it in why don't you," Diaspro grumbled.

...

"You have done well, Sky," King Erendor congratulated his son. The light of day bathed the massive throne room in illumination, as the blond prince stood before his parents. "Yoshinoiya has retracted his demands. He's trying to claim that he only did it because of Diaspro's tyranny, but he's not fooling anyone. This little plan of his is going to cost his nation for years. As for Diaspro, we will arrange her transport home once she's had time to get her well-deserved rest".

"Yes... About her..." Sky began. He sighed and said: "I will be completely honest, Father. I have no intentions of marrying Diaspro".

After a moment of silence, his mother asked: "Is this because of Bloom?"

"Yes and no," Sky answered. "It isn't because we've started dating a bit again. Honestly, we might never really hit it off. But meeting her and her friends has made me realise that I should choose for myself whom I want to share my life with. And that I should do it because those people are special to me, not because I can gain something from it".

"I see," his father sighed. "I cannot say I agree, but it is your decision and I will respect it. I will inform Diaspro's family of your decision".

"Thank you, Father," Sky earnestly replied and left the room.

Outside, the others had gathered in the courtyard with the Patchamen.

"SO YOU SAY THESE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO DIRECT US TO JUST CAUSES!?" Ben loudly asked, his enthusiasm returned.

"Absolutely. The Roccalucian Order works to ensure stability and peace throughout the multiverse," Flora explained.

"THAT IS FANTASTIC!" the Justice Man declared.

"Do you think we can keep our uniforms?" Jinpee asked.

Flora shrugged in reply.

"I don't see why you couldn't," Brandon interjected. "You'll probably just be asked to wear their insignia on it somewhere".

"That is acceptable," Kiu said.

"THEN LET US GO AND DO JUSTICE!" Ben declared.

The whole team posed and yelled: ""SUPER HERO CYBER NINJA HYPER FORCE! THE PATCHAMEN!"

Then they stormed off, running towards the rising sun.

"Is it just me or has my life become increasingly ridiculous lately?" Bloom asked as they watched the hero team storm off.  
>"How so?" Flora questioned.<br>"First Darkar, who thinks he's a villain. Then there was all the politics, Now this, a superhero team," the redhead replied.

"It takes all sorts to make up a multiverse," Brandon added amused. "So, how did the meeting go, Sky?"

"They were happy. And I got Father to finally call of the wedding," Sky said.

"I hope Diaspro will not be too hurt by this," Flora said. "The girl was really invested in the idea".

"She deserves to find her own path, just like Sky does," Brandon said. "Hopefully, without being chained to this royal doofus here, she can do just that".

"You do realise I have the authority to order the guards to give you a wedgie, right?" Sky asked.

A melody began playing in Bloom's pocket. "Oh, it's Techna," the redhead said. "We should probably tell her what's happened".

She received the call and immediately had to jerk her head away from the phone as the scarred girl roared: "YOU WENT OFF TO FIGHT NINJAS AND SUPERHEROES!? WITHOUT ME!?"

"I think she already knows," Flora deadpanned.


End file.
